


The Return of Batgirl

by Jasontodd908



Category: Batman Beyond
Genre: Betrayal, Breakups, F/M, Gotham City - Freeform, Jealousy, Jokerz - Freeform, Love Triangle, Redemption, Romance, Twins, retired heroes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:15:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 43,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25076728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jasontodd908/pseuds/Jasontodd908
Summary: Neo-Gotham has a new protector wearing an old symbol in the person of one Terry McGinnis. We all knew it wouldn't remain that way for long. Eventually some other mantles would need to be picked up, and Terry would need more help in protecting the city. One bank robbery gone wrong sets Delia Dennis on a path of redemption, and maybe so much more. At the very least her Nana would get off her back if she started doing some more good.
Relationships: Batman/Batgirl, Batman/Dee Dee, Delia Dennis/Terry McGinnis, Terry McGinnis/Dana Tan
Comments: 14
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

**_Downtown Neo-Gotham_ **

“Come on! We gotta get outta here before the pigs get here!” the lead Joker shouts, urging his partners in crime onwards. “Frag it J-man, eighth time things haven’t gone right” Chucko says, firing his blaster at a door and allowing the group to slip through. Their leader ignores them, scowling as they try to escape the bank vault. 

“This is big time shit” Ghoul says nervously, a bag of money thrown over his shoulder. “We ain’t gonna get the same break we got for just breaking up cred machine man”. This seems to push J-man over the edge and he turns to address his goons. “You’re right” he says, a malicious smirk crossing his lips. “This is big time. Just like us. We’re the Jokerz. We need to make this city understand what that means again”. 

The thug’s impromptu speech seems to gain him the support of his gang back, Woof even letting out a characteristic half growl half chuckle. The Dee Dees nod along, smiles plastered on their faces as they turn to one another. “He has a point Dee Dee” the one of the left says, it being impossible to tell the two apart. “Most definitely Dee Dee” the other retorts.   
  
“Good, now that we’re back on track, can we please get back to the robbery…” the man in white make up begins before a shout from outside of the bank draws their attention. “This is commissioner Gordon” the voice says through the megaphone. “Come out with your hands up, and nobody gets hurt”.

“Slag it” J-man says, looking at the lobby filled with people. “Well, lets do what Joker would do. Grab a hostage, point a gun at their head and lets get to negotiating” he says, a wicked smile on his face as he reaches down and grabs a dark haired woman who screams in fear as she’s roughly tugged up. Delia, one of the twins, feels something strange at seeing the fear on the woman’s face. 

She keeps looking, not noticing how all the others had followed their leader’s instructions and were now taking hostages at random. ‘Well, the ones who the cops would think twice about killing’ she thinks, being pulled out of her thoughts and lingering doubts by her sister. “Come on, pick your favorite and lets get ready for some fun Dee” Deidre says, having already picked a young girl. 

Delia’s eyes widen at seeing the little body in her sister’s arms, her own wrapped around the girl’s throat while a pistol was pressed to her temple. Blue eyes looked about everywhere, fearful and sobbing. “Please! Please don’t hurt my daughter!” a voice says from the side, and Delia looks to see a middle aged woman on the floor, her hand reaching out for the girl. “Shut the fuck up and we won’t” J-man says, holding his own hostage close while taking the time to kick the woman in the face. 

“MOMMY!” the little girl shouts, struggling in the other twin’s arms. “Come on, this one’s perfect” Deidre says, gesturing to the now bleeding woman. “A mom and daughter. We’ll be walking out of her on a red carpet” she says, laughing to herself as the others join in. Delia pushes herself onward and walks over to the woman, reaching down and picking her up assuming a position behind her. The woman was quietly sobbing, apparently not noticing the fact that she had been taken hostage.

“Please...my daughter...she’s all I have” she says, striking something deep within the gang member that she thought was long gone. “I…” she begins, her pistol haphazardly in the woman’s side. Her further sentence is interrupted by J-man going to the window and calling out to the cops, just out of their line of fire. 

“Hey commish” he begins, apparently opening negotiations. “You know the drill. Hostages, gonna blow their brains out and what not. Yadda yadda. We want out of here” he shouts. “You know that that isn’t going to happen. You know how this ends. So let’s skip all of this and just get to the point” she says, standing behind a police cruiser.

“They don’t think we’re serious” Ghoul says, a joking lilt to his voice that gave away his feigned sadness. “Well, how about we show them?” the leader asks, looking about the bank and finally noticing the little girl that Deidre had taken. “Ahh, bring the little girl over here! Wanna give Gordon a little party favor” he says, before suddenly stopping the woman’s movement with his hand. “Hey Gordon, I was going to do this where all the cops can see” he teases. “But actually, I wanna shoot this little girl in front of her mom. Don’t worry, we’ll throw the body out so you can confirm”.

“NO!” the woman in Delia’s arms shouts, struggling against her in an attempt to save her daughter. Delia was shocked, but she still was able to hold the woman still. “Woah, wait, J-man...we...we haven’t killed anyone” she says, unsure of her point. “Sure as hell tried to kill Batman” Chucko says with a laugh. “Well, that’s different...this is a little girl. I just don’t…”

“Grow up Dee Dee” Deidre says from her position, holding the now frozen in fear little girl tightly. “We wanna be taken seriously toots. So, we gotta do some serious shit” J-man says, sure that he would be able to convince the sister to go along with whatever it was he wanted at any time. “You’re a Joker. Act like it” Ghoul says, on board as well. She looks at each of the other gang members, shocked that she was the only one uncomfortable with killing a child. “Please...no” the mother whimpers again, causing Delia to look down at the utter anguish on her face.

The others seemed to have lost interest in her and her moral qualms, and instead looked back on Deidre. “Slag her Dee” Chucko says, excited at the prospect of finally being considered a real danger. “Yeah, do it! Do the little bitch!” Ghoul adds while J-man and Woof look on with satisfaction or hunger respectively. “My pleasure” Deidre says, pressing the barrel even harder into the little girl’s temple.

‘Ohh god!’ Delia thinks. ‘She’s going to do it!’

“Sorry kiddo. Wrong place, wrong freaking ti…” the other Dee Dee begins before her words are cut off, a punch sending her sprawling across the floor and her gun flying away into some corner of the bank. Everyone was shocked at how quickly Delia had moved, and their pistols are instantly brought up to aim at the former accomplice. “You bitch!” J-man shouts, looking towards the shocked woman. 

The mother jumps forward and grabs her daughter, the two disappearing into the hallway to their left. “Woof, go get them!” Chucko says, only for him to suddenly be thrown back in the same way that Deidre had been. They’re all shocked, as Delia hadn’t moved from her deer in the headlights position in the middle of them. “Never thought Jokerz would sink even lower” a voice from above says, a voice they had all come to know so well. 

“Batman! Batman’s here!” Chucko shouts, watching as the aforementioned vigilante jumps down from the ceiling, his suit’s wings splayed out to slow his descent. He lands right besides Delia, and assumes a combat stance. Batman casts one look over at her, curiosity in his expression at her seeming change of loyalties. She doesn’t say or do anything, merely looks away at her prone sister, guilt welling up inside of her.

‘I’ve never hit Deidre before’ she thinks, her mind reminding her that her sister had been about to kill a child.

“This is far, even for scum like you” Batman says, batarangs in his hands faster than they could react. He tosses them with precision, and the three goons are instantly disarmed. J-man grabs his injured hands and snarls, turning to Chucko and Ghoul. “Let’s kill this bat” he says before looking at Woof. “You go get the bitch and her kid. Rip them apart. When I say someone dies, they die” he says, causing Woof to jump and start to gallop down the hall. Batman makes to move after him but is stopped by the charging Chucko, who manages to use his distraction against him.

Delia acts almost on automation, and rushes after the spliced Joker. Just before he turns to enter the room where she was sure the mother and daughter were hiding she tackles him, sending him sprawling across the floor. He’s instantly on his feet, or rather haunches, ready to attack again. 

He snarls at the woman, who raises her firsts and sets herself in his path. “Just walk away Woof” she says, hoping the usually headstrong and stubborn thug would listen. “Just let them go”.

With a laugh and a snarl the splicer jumps forward, claws out and extended, ready to slice the woman from head to toe. Delia ducks and slides under the path of his trajectory, able to get the jump on the creature as she stands and delivers a kick to his head, knocking him to the side. 

Woof was dizzy and swaying on his feet, the knock to the back of his skull really having done a number on him. “Sorry Woof” Delia says coldly, remembering that he was ready to kill. She moves forward and uppercuts him on the jaw, sending the splicer flying through the air to land on his back, knocked out cold. 

Delia stops, admiring her handiwork for a second before she lets out a nervous breath. ‘Ohh god what the hell just happened?’ she asks herself, placing her hands on her thighs and closing her eyes. ‘I went against the gang’ she thinks, trying to wrap her head around the ramifications of that before she stands up and opens the door to the room.   
  
“Are you alright?” she calls out, knowing that the duo were hiding within the darkness. She hears a shuffle and sees the mother come into view, her daughter clinging to her waist. “Y..yes” she says nervously, looking down at the still frightened but safe child. She looks back up at the woman, the words already on her lips. “Than-” she begins before being cut off. 

“Save it” Delia says, looking away in shame. She turns, ready to exit the room. “Just...save it”.

Without another word she walks down the hallway, not hearing the sounds of a fist fight or gunfire she expected. She walks into the atrium, seeing her former gang mates sprawled out on the floor. She sighs to herself, letting out an exhale of breath. “Figures” she says, noticing that the doors were open and the civilians were gone. 

So was the Batman.

Just then, the police swarm in, guns already drawn with Gordon at their head. They’re shocked at the fact that everything already seems to be handled, but not for very long. This was a common occurrence in Gotham after all.

The fight was completely out of Delia at this point, so before Gordon can even say anything she just raises her hands and puts them behind her head, getting onto her knees. “I give up” she says simply and monotonously. 

“Smart” one of the cops says, coming up behind her and pulling her hands down, ready to cuff her. She lets him, not struggling at all. The only thing she could see was the little girl’s face, scrunched up in fear and tears running down her cheeks. She looks toward the still prone body of her sister, an officer already tending to her.

She’s yanked up, and is instantly pushed forward. ‘Well Delia, looks like you’re really slagged now’ she thinks, not knowing what to do with her life in the Jokerz being over.

**_The Batcave, Wayne Manor_ **

Terry had only removed his cowl, but had left the rest of his suit on. He didn’t know if he’d have to go out again tonight, but he wasn’t exactly keen on it. Tonight had already been too weird for him.

He reaches forward and clicks a button on the computer, going through some of the records of the Jokerz that he’d subdued tonight. Chucko, Ghoul and J-man all came up, having an extensive criminal record going all the way back to juvie. ‘Some of their sentences overlap with when I was in’ he thinks, feeling the usual wellspring of guilt rise inside of him. He pushes it down before moving onto the next record.

The screen splits, showing two mug shots.   
  
“Not that I can tell them apart” he says to himself, a light smile splitting his face. Deidre and Delia Dennis. Both had a long track record too, but mostly of small petty crimes. Theft, vandalism and a few other minor charges. They’d only started to become big time when they hooked up with the Jokerz.

They were both attractive, with blonde hair and blue eyes, soft unblemished skin. There was a certain carefree and dismissive attitude in the way they smiled while holding those GCPD placards, as if they didn’t care at all about what they were doing or being charged with. Contempt was how he’d best describe it.

“I just got off the phone with Gordon” a voice from behind him says, not even startling him anymore. Bruce Wayne slowly advanced on the computer with help from his cane, Ace, his faithful canine companion, right beside him. Terry nods and gets up from the chair, surrendering it to the old man and leaning against the computer’s desk. 

Bruce nods before taking his seat, looking towards the still open file on the screen. “She said that a robbery was broken up, and that Batman prevented it from getting out of hand” he says diplomatically, coaching the conversation in carefully veiled terms as was his way. Terry didn’t have time for that tonight. He shrugs and crosses his arms over his chest, his mind going back over tonight’s events.

“It was different this time” he says. “How so?” Bruce asks.

“I’ve fought the Jokerz alot. Usually? Not too big a deal. The worst was when that idiot somehow got his hands on a military grade and nuclear powered war machine. Even then the worst thing he thought to do was attack some rival Ts. Roughed them up, hurt a few of them, but didn’t kill them” Terry says.

“Tonight? They were willing to kill a little girl in front of her mother” Terry finishes, allowing the former Batman to let out a grunt of acknowledgement. “Escalation is always something we have to deal with” he says. “I guess….I don’t know. I don’t understand” Terry says exasperatedly, throwing his hands up and walking away, beginning to strip out of the suit. 

“We never do” Bruce says, looking back towards the screen. He reaches out to pet Ace, stroking his ears with his thumb. “Evil isn’t meant to be understood. Just stopped. If we understand it, we might make space for it and that’s more dangerous than anything else”.

Terry doesn’t respond, slipping into his shirt and then his jacket. 

“Are you feeling demoralized McGinnis?” Bruce asks suddenly, stopping the man in his tracks. Terry stops, unable to fight the creeping suspicion that maybe he was. Bruce understands instantly and begins to speak. “Gotham isn’t like other cities” he says. “The good is few and far between, and it will swallow you whole if you let it” he says. “You know this already, so I won’t beat a dead horse. I think you’re focusing on all the wrong things about tonight” he says.

“How so?” Terry asks, suddenly interested. 

“A little girl was almost killed, but she wasn’t” Bruce says evenly, his own eyes scanning over the mug shots of the two women. He was only able to focus on Delia because of the name right in front of her. “Because someone, someone we never would’ve expected before, decided to do the right thing” he says.

Terry nods, having lost himself in the darkness for a moment. ‘I gotta be the cheerier Batman’ he reminds himself, moving up besides the man and looking at the screen. “So what are we going to do about her?” he asks.

“What about her?” Bruce counters.

“We gotta do something” he explains, knowing that Bruce already agreed. “She’s going to be sentenced for something, and hey, she probably has to do some time, but when she gets out there has to be something for her, otherwise she’ll go right back to crime” he explains.

“She can’t” Bruce says, cutting off that reasoning. “She’s turned her back on her gang. More than likely, she’ll be a target for them now”.

“Then forget about crime prevention” he says. “And focus on what she deserves”.

“And what is that McGinnis?” Bruce asks, mentally noting that Terry had become much better at verbal sparring. “A second chance” he says firmly. Bruce is quiet for a moment but eventually a small smile twists the corner of his lips. 

**_Gotham City County Court_ **

“Court is now in session, honorable Judge Valerie Paulson residing” the bailiff says, reading off the clipboard. Delia couldn’t bring herself to care, but her court appointed attorney brings her up anyway, his hand on her shoulder. 

‘Creep’ she thinks, not liking the prematurely balding man who seemed to think he could boss her around.

“Thank you bailiff” the judge says, walking out and assuming her seat. The man nods, reading off the clipboard once more. “People of Gotham Vs. Delia Dennis” he says, allowing the defense council and the accused time to assume their positions at the desk provided to them. “Ahh Mrs. Dennis, I hope you’re well” the judge says, an accusing look in her eyes as she stares at the woman over the brim of her glasses. “Sure” Delia says. 

The judge ignores her and looks over the notes provided to her on the case. “Alright, so this is sentencing then? You sure you want to plead guilty? It’s not too late to change your plea” she says. Her lawyer leans in, undoubtedly wanting to to convince her to do so but the blonde just shoves him off. “What’s the point? I did it. You got video of me robbing the bank. Let’s just get on with it huh?” she says, tired and wanting to get this circus over with.

‘Damn dress is uncomfortable too’ she thinks.

The judge is a little taken aback but regardless nods and shrugs to herself. “Well alright then” she says before the bailiff gives her another piece of paper. She looks over it, her eyebrows shooting up as she does. “Hmm, interesting. Alright, it’s a slow day. I’ll allow it” she says, gesturing for the court officer to open the door. 

Delia looks over her shoulder, curious at who would be coming into the courtroom. She’s utterly shocked to see the woman from the bank, her daughter holding her hand. She’s even more shocked by the man besides them. She’d only seen him only in the gossip rags and newspapers, but everyone knew exactly who he was. In many ways, he WAS the face of Gotham city.. 

“Hello Mr. Wayne” Judge Paulson says, a wry smile on her face before turning to the woman. “And you are Mrs. Jennifer Halder? Am I correct?” she asks the happy woman. “Ohh yes ma’am. And this is my daughter Carly” she says, causing the little girl to wave shyly. “Hi” she says to the judge, causing a much wider and more sincere smile to cross the older woman’s face. 

“Well hello there little miss” she teases. She turns half serious again, looking towards the group once more. “I understand you wish to make some statements on part of the defendant?” she asks, already knowing the answer.

Jennifer nods happily, brushing her fingers through her daughter’s hair. “Yes. I would” she says. “Well then, say what you want to say” Paulson retorts. Jennifer is more than happy to oblige. “Well, it’s true that she did rob the bank, and it’s true that she did initially hold me hostage” Halder begins, making Delia look away in guilt. “But I knew she wasn’t going to hurt me. It was more the others I was afraid of” she says. “Especially the other one, her sister. She had a gun pointed at my little girl...I thought I was going to lose her” Jennifer says, getting teary eyed. “But, Mrs. Dennis” she says, pointing towards the woman. “Decided to do the right thing, and almost died for it. The last I saw of her before she came into the back room was her gang all pointing guns at her” she says.

“Interesting, but it’s something that this court is already well aware of” Paulson says a little boredly. “Yeah...well...I know that” Jennifer says, a little miffed at her words being ignored but still willing to go on. “Anyways, we don’t know how she got away, but we do know that the creature one came after us, and she stopped him. Again she saved us!” she says. 

Carly smiles up at Delia, waving happily though she tried to hide it. The court saw it though, and Delia herself couldn’t help but get over her sour mood a little bit and give a small little wave back. “Hmm, interesting. So, what do you think her punishment should be then Mrs. Halder?” Paulson asks. 

“Well, that’s unfair to ask me” she says. “I’m a mother and she saved me and my daughter. Naturally I’m going to suggest no punishment, but that wouldn’t be too fair would it?” the woman asks in a deflated tone. 

“I’m afraid that you’re right Mrs. Halder” Paulson says, leaning forward. “It wouldn’t. Mrs. Dennis has still committed crimes against the people of Gotham city. However, I would like to know why Mr. Wayne is here” she says, turning to the old man who stands, once more balancing on his cane. 

“I’m here to help” he says. “In any way I can”.

“How very characteristically noble of you Mr. Wayne” Paulson says, removing her glasses and leaning back in the chair, already interested in whatever it was the man had to say. “How would you like to help?”

He looks towards the former gang member, a hard glint in his eye as he studies her. She doesn’t turn away, not wanting to appear weak in front of this man. Still, she can’t help the guilt that seems to hang about her like a cloak. She turns away eventually, not being able to look the man in the eye. 

Bruce nods to himself, apparently having seen something in the woman that confirmed his course of action as the correct one. He turns back to the judge, his mind made up. “In return for a lighter sentence, I would like to pay for this young lady’s education and offer her a job at Wayne Enterprises” he says, continuing on. “I feel that she deserves a second chance based on the heroism of her actions, and I want to be the one that gives her that chance”.

Paulson looks at the man, fixated actually. “Hmm, and this is something you’re willing to put to paper?” she asks. Bruce just smiles and reaches down to get his briefcase. He opens it and pulls out the manilla folder. “Already did” he says, handing it off to the bailiff who brings it to the judge. A quick cursory reading is all she needs before she puts it down and turns to Delia, her hands fingers interlacing before her as she thinks about what to do. 

“Mrs. Dennis” she begins. “You are being offered a chance to better yourself. To walk away from a life of crime and finally contribute to this city and its people” she says. “Are you willing to take that hand up and use it to your full advantage? Or will I be seeing you again in my courtroom?” she asks.

Delia is about to give a sarcastic answer when the doors to the courtroom open once more. The court officer makes to halt whoever was trying to come in, but ultimately he is unsuccessful. “Out of my way” a familiar voice yells, causing the entire court to look back and Delia to wince. 

“Madam” Paulson asks, looking at the diminutive old woman who had forced her way into the courtroom. “May I ask why you are here and who you are before allowing you admittance?” she asks. 

“Harleen Dennis” she says, looking over towards Delia with a mixture of disappointment and softness. Maybe even a bit of pride. It was something unexpected for the young woman who is unable to even look her grandmother in the face. “I’m her grandmother, and I raised her” she says. “Hmm, well….” Paulson says, mulling it over. It was clear that she was enjoying this drama and wanted it to go on. “Have a seat ma’am, unless there is something you wish to say to your granddaughter” she teases, loving the look of discomfort that crosses Delia’s face.

Harleen indeed does have something to say, and she comes up to the bench behind her granddaughter. “You look at me” she says, causing the young girl to indeed turn in the chair, the position making her as uncomfortable as having to face her clearly irate grandmother.

She glares for a moment before closing her eyes and slowly calming herself. “I’m ashamed that you and your sister did what ya were doing” she says. “I’m ashamed that despite everything I taught ya, you decided to keep doing what you were doing. I’m ashamed to have to see, AGAIN, in a courtroom” she says, each word like a knife into the womans heart.

Harleen softens and smiles. “That’s what makes this all so weird” she says. “Because I’ve also never been prouder of ya sweetie” she says, turning her attention back to the judge. “I saw the news and watched her save that little girl, and I have a few things to say if ya don’t mind too much ma’am” she says.

Paulson spreads her hands out and laughs. “Ohh by all means Mrs. Dennis” she says. “Keep speaking your mind”.

“Thank ya kindly judge” she begins. “Delia and Deidre were raised without their mom and pop. So I raised them after my son took off” she explains. “Ever since they was little, Deidre always ran the show. Delia followed her around like a little puppy, and copied everything she did until even I couldn’t tell the two apart. Delia was a grade A student, until Deidre teased her about it. Then she started skipping class” Harleen says, casting an eye at the young woman.

“She used to follow the rules, do her chores and was an all around good girl until she stopped deciding to be herself and wanted to be her sister”.

“Ahh, so her sister led her into a life of crime did she?” Paulson asks, leaning forward. Harleen nods, not even questioning the sarcasm of the judge. “That’s right ya honor” she says. “And I heard about Mr. Wayne’s offer. I want ya to take it Delia” she says, now addressing her granddaughter. “I want ya to turn your life around. Be someone. It ain’t too late to change” she says.

She turns to Bruce who has been eyeing her suspiciously the whole time, sensing something familiar about the woman. “And thank you Mr. Wayne. From the bottom of my heart, I thank ya. And you too Mrs. Halder”.

She looks at Judge Paulson once more, an honest plea in her eyes. “I just want the little girl I remember to be given one more chance” she says. “A chance to be who she was always meant to be and not just somebody’s lackey. She deserves better than that, even if she hasn’t shown it. We all deserve a second chance, and my granddaughter showed that she ain’t beyond getting better”.

Paulson is quiet, the words of the old woman moving everyone in the entire courtroom. “And do you believe your other granddaughter deserves a second chance?” Paulson asks curiously. This question seems to hit the old woman very harshly, and she closes her eyes and brings her hand up over her heart. “No” she whispers, the tears leaking out of her eyes. “I’m sorry. God forgive me, but no”.

Watching her grandmother fall apart had an equal effect on Delia, who reaches out across the bannister to hug the now quietly sobbing woman. No more needed to be said from her, and Paulson didn’t expect anything else.

“Alright, I’ve made up my mind” she says, gesturing for the bailiff to take the folder Bruce had given her over to Delia. “Delia Dennis, I sentence you to a term of no less than two years probation” she says, holding up a hand to silence the murmuring. “On three simple conditions” she says. “I want you to sign that document, agreeing to Mr. Wayne’s terms. You will go to school AND you will work for him. I also will be releasing you only to the care of your grandmother, who I’m assured will keep you in line” she says, looking towards a still misty eyed Harleen.

“You can bet your gavel on that judge” she says, looking towards her granddaughter while tightening her grip on her cane, causing the woman to gulp. ‘It was always so much easier to get around her with Deidre around’ she thinks, knowing that with only her there her grandmother would definitely be able to ‘keep her in line’.

“What kind of job?” she asks, looking towards Bruce. Paulson interrupts her and silences her questioning. “Doesn’t matter. As long as it isn’t illegal, you’ll do what he says. You’ll also enroll in Gotham University which Mr. Wayne has already apparently opened a door for you. I will need your answer to if you’re going to agree to these terms AND an answer of what your major will be” she says, adding to the urgency by holding up three fingers. 

“Going once, going twice..”

“Alright, alright, dammit, yes” she says, taking a pen and opening the folder, signing wherever it was indicated she needed to sign without reading any of the fine print. “Here you go” she says, handing it off to an eager bailiff who wanted to return it to Mr. Wayne. “Is that sufficient Mr. Wayne?” Paulson asks as the old man takes the folder.

“Yes, yes it is” he says, feeling a sense of accomplishment. Paulson nods, having nothing else to say about the contract between Wayne and Delia. ‘As far as the law is concerned, it’s not Gotham’s problem anymore’ she thinks. 

“Now, onto the second part of the equation. What’s your chosen major?” she asks. “It has to be something real too. Don’t give me any stupid answers either” she says. “I won’t accept Peruvian Basket weaving or women’s studies. Something real” she says. Delia sighs and runs the thought through her mind, hating that she had to make a momentous decision like that on such short notice. “Uhh well...Psychology” she says, seemingly out of nowhere. The answer seems to do something to Harleen who looks over shocked at her granddaughter. Delia doesn’t notice, but the smile instantly grows on the old woman’s face and she reaches out to put a hand on the girl’s shoulder. Delia looks confused at her grandmother, not knowing what to think. ‘Maybe she’s just happy I didn’t give a smartass answer’ she says, chalking it up to that.

Paulson seems pleased as well, and she writes something down on her docket notes. “Alright then. I consider this case closed” she says, reaching for her gavel and bringing it down. “Your parole officer will expect you to report in to her tomorrow.Maria Bertinelli-Sage will be handling your case” she says, looking at Delia with a sadistic smile. “She’s a bit of a hard case, which is why she will be handling you. Takes one to know one. Anyway, you’re free to go. And I’m off to lunch” she says, standing up and moving through the court towards the exit. 

Delia stands up and turns to her grandmother, opening her mouth and closing it a few times as she didn’t know what to say. “Save it sweetie” Harleen says. “You’re still in big trouble but…” she says, reaching around the girl and hugging her tight. “I still love ya” she says.

  
Delia returns the hug, ashamed of herself for the hell she and Deidre had put her through. “I love you too Nana Harley” she says. The two continue to share a moment though Harleen ends it and takes her granddaughter by the wrist. “Now, come over here and thank Mr. Wayne” she says.

“Nana…” Delia says, feeling uncomfortable and nervous. 

“You thank Mr. Wayne young lady” she says, glaring and silencing any further protests from the girl. “Alright, alright, geez” she says, moving over towards the opposite side of the court where the old man was busy speaking with Mrs. Halder. He notices their approach and instantly becomes quiet, appraising the two with a straight face. 

“Mr. Wayne” Harleen says, pushing the younger woman forward. “My granddaughter has something to say to you” she says, Delia blushing at having to thank anyone for anything. “I..well, I guess what I’m trying to say is...thanks for the second chance and stuff” she says ineloquently. Bruce responds by simply holding out his hand for her to shake, an act which she tepidly reciprocates. “We all usually get what we deserve” he says evenly, the meaning of the words not lost on the now former Joker. He releases Delia’s hand and before she could move to turn away she feels a pressure on her waist. She looks down to see Carly hugging her tightly, a smile on her face. 

“You’re not bad Mrs. Dennis” she says. “Just go to school. It’s easy” she says with all the naivete and innocence of a child. Delia can’t help herself as she reaches down and pats the girl’s head uncomfortable. “Thanks. I’ll try and remember that”. Carly releases her and looks back towards her mom.

“Mommy, can we get ice cream?” she asks, causing Jennifer to laugh. “Of course sweetie. We can. Let’s go” she says, taking her daughter’s hand before looking back at Delia. “Thank you” she says, a light smile on her face. “I hope everything works out and that one day you look back on this day happily. If you ever need me, here’s my card” she says, handing over a small piece of paper. Delia takes it and realizes that she saved a lawyer. ‘Probably explains how easily she convinced the old bitch in charge’ she thinks, though her thoughts lacked the distinctive venom they used to.

“To talk or for non legal services I mean” Jennifer teases. “I hope to never have to see you in a courtroom again” she adds, making to walk away with her little girl who bounces happily along the way. Delia just sighs, turning back to her grandmother and Mr. Wayne. Harleen was animatedly talking to the man, thanking him over and over again while ensuring him with her word that Delia would be doing all that she needed to do to not only do well but excel in her classes and in her job. “Ya can bet on it Mister Wayne. I’ll make sure of it”.

Wayne was regarding Harleen with a curious look, as if he was trying to place her in some box he had in his mind. ‘Almost like he knows her already’ Delia thinks to herself, wondering why a billionaire would have ever ran into her grandmother. 

“Mr. Wayne, whenever you’re ready to go” the younger man says, drawing Delia’s interest immediately. He looks back at her with the same look of recognition that Bruce had given her grandmother. She sensed something familiar about him as well.

“Terry, this is Harleen and Delia Dennis. Delia will be attending Gotham University in the fall and will be working for Wayne Enterprises” he explains. “Harleen is her grandmother” he explains further. “Pleasure to meet you” Terry says simply, reaching his hand out first to Harleen who takes it eagerly. “Well hello to you handsome” she teases, making the younger man smirk. He then turns his attention to Delia and extends his hand once more.

“Welcome to Wayne Enterprises” he says in a neutral tone, disguising his conflict regarding the woman in front of him. “Yeah, thanks” Delia says, not understanding why she felt so nervous. Terry nods and looks back towards Bruce. “Mr. Wayne, we have a meeting with Mr. Fox” he says. Bruce nods and looks back towards the grandmother granddaughter duo. “If you need anything, please let me know. I’ll be keeping a close eye on you Mrs. Dennis” Wayne warns, looking at the younger woman. It isn’t helped by the fact that Harleen has joined him in glaring. 

“Or call Terry. He is my personal assistant. Most interaction will be done through him” he adds with a wry smirk directed to the young man who frowns. “But please, do have a good day” he says, turning and beginning to walk away, Terry beside him.

“Thanks” the young man whispers. “Shuffling this all onto me”.

“Your charity case, your problem” Bruce says, proving that he could enjoy himself from time to time. 

Meanwhile Delia and Harleen were leaving the court house as well, heading towards the train yard. “Nana, what...what happened to Deidre?” she asks, unsure if she wanted to know the answer. Harleen stops and sighs, looking back at the younger woman with a frown. “She was sentenced a few days ago. Got twenty years for attempted murder and a whole slew of other charges they were able to tack onto her”.

Delia looks away, sadness welling into her at the fact that she probably would never have her sister in her life again. “I…” she begins, once more letting it drop. “I don’t want you to focus on that Delia” Harleen says, moving up the platform onto the monorail system. “I want ya to focus on you and your life right now. Put all that behind ya, and in the end, that means your sister too”.

Delia feels angered by that and feels an urge to strike back. “How can you just turn your back on her like that?” she asks.

Harleen stands her ground, staring down the girl who she knew was going through a lot. “Because I need ta save you” she explains. “She was going ta kill that adorable little girl. You saw it to, which is why you stopped her” she says, others joining them on the platform. “I saw the video. The look in her eyes. She...she enjoyed it. The thought of killin’. I saw that look once before on someone who was really bad to me and everyone else. I don’t want that for you. Ya’ve always been the good one sweetie, even when ya tried your damndest to not be” she explains, taking the anger out of Delia’s heart.   
  
Harleen smiles and reaches out, taking the girl’s hand and squeezing it. “Used to be you were a lot shorter than me” she reminisces. “You only came up to my waist. Now? It would take a ladder for me to be your height”.

Delia doesn’t say anything but she smiles at the memories that inadvertently come forth. “Do you remember that stuffed animal I had? It was a chipmunk” Delia says.

“Ohh yeah! Mr. Munch. One day you just lost him. You cried for days and days. Ohh I felt so bad. Tried to find a replacement but ya were too smart for you Nana and always knew that it wasn’t Mr. Munch”.

Delia laughs aloud with her before becoming solemn. “I never told you that Deidre burnt him” she says drawing a shocked expression from the old woman. “I didn’t want her to get in trouble, but she did it because she thought it would be funny. I just kept quiet. Maybe...maybe this wasn’t her fault” she says, tears springing to her eyes. “Maybe it’s mine. If I would’ve said something sooner, stood up to her sooner, I…”

“This isn’t your fault munchkin” she says. “You’re only responsible for what you did, which is still a lot to make up for. So focus on that and not your sister”.

“Okay Nana” Delia says, deciding to let the thoughts she was having go. As the train pulls up Harleen smiles brightly. “What is it?” Delia asks. “It’s just been such a long time since ya just agreed with me and listened to me. I missed ya”.

Delia reaches out to help Harleen onto the train. “I missed you too Nana”.

“Good, now lets go home and get something to eat before your curfew. You’re still on probation at home too”.

**_Gotham City Women’s Prison, Blackgate Island_ **

“Alright Dennis, move it along” the guard says, using his night stick to push the lithe woman down the corridor. She wasn’t saying anything, though she hadn’t said a word since court. “Hey toots, welcome to the slammer” a voice calls. “We’re gonna enjoy having some fresh meat in here” another calls out. Deidre is unphased by all of this and simply moves into her cell. Transporting her here had been an ordeal in and of itself with traffic and just trying to make sure that one of the most notorious Jokerz in the city was under wraps.

“Welcome home. Enjoy the next twenty years” the guard says, the electronic gate closing behind her. She sets her folded up clothes and toiletries on the bed, already wearing the bright orange jumpsuit that most inmates wore. She was in an old prison, getting ready to serve a long stretch. 

‘That fucking bitch!’ she fumes, punching the wall as hard as she can. The pain felt good, reminded her that she was still alive. “That bitch is gonna pay” she seethes to herself, her mind still not able to wrap around the fact that Delia had turned on her. She felt like an entire piece of her was missing, and it was disorientating to say the least. 

She looks around at the old brick walls of the cell, smiling as ideas of escape pop into her mind. ‘Well, at least they put me in this shitty place’ she thinks. ‘It’ll be all the easier to escape from’.

She laughs to herself while she lays down on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. “You’re either going to get on your knees and kiss my ass to apologize Dee, or you’re to wind up skinned and on the wall”


	2. Chapter 2

**_Apartment of Harleen Dennis, Neo-Gotham_ **

“Alright, up and at ‘em!” Harleen shouts, poking the still sleeping woman with her cane. “Hrrrmmm” she groans, pulling the pillow over her head. “It’s your first day a’ work and you’re not going to be late” Harleen says, reaching forward and grabbing the blanket edge. “So get up” she says, pulling the blanket off of her. Delia moans again, slowly getting up and throwing her legs over the side of the bed. 

“Alright, alright, I’m up, I’m up” she says, throwing her legs over the side of the bed and groaning. “Uggggh”.

  
“Ahh don’t be like that, I got you eggs and bacon for breakfast” she teases, enjoying the normalcy that they had settled into over the past two days. “Gotta be really good on the first day. I know that better than anybody” she says, turning to walk out of the room.

“Ohh, and wear that nice pantsuit you have!” Harleen shouts excitedly from the other room. “It’ll look nice!”

Delia is quiet for a second, still only wearing panties and a t-shirt. “I’ll look a little ridiculous taking the bus in a pantsuit huh Nana?” Delia asks, trying to be more polite and conversational with the woman who had raised her. “From thug to employee” she says, hearing the laughter of the other woman across the apartment. “The bus? Ohh no sweetie, you ain’t taking public transport. No, Mr. Wayne wants to keep a close eye on you. He’s sending that handsome guy Terry to pick you up!” she says excitedly. 

“Ohh geez” she says, resenting how she was going to be watched like a hawk but having expected it nonetheless. “Sooo...yeah, make sure to look spiffy” she says.

“Nannna” Delia complains, getting up and moving over to the mirror. She frowns at her face, not liking how she looked in the morning. “Alright, so down is more...what’s the word….casual, that’s it” she says, deciding that casual was inappropriate for her first day at a job that she still didn’t know what it was.

“Alright, so up” she says, reaching back and bundling up her long blonde hair into a bun which she tied down tightly. “Hmm” she says, turning her head and admiring how it looked. “Not too bad” she says with a smile. “Hiding under that stupid wig all these years was a mistake” she thinks, moving off into the bathroom and undoing the same bun she’d just done to get in the shower.

Meanwhile Harley was in the kitchen, cooking the eggs and sliding them off onto a plate which was already next to some bacon. She places the plate on a heating pad, wanting it to remain warm. She sits down, her back hurting from shuffling about as she did. “Ohh, I feel like I’m a thousand years old” she says to herself, looking about her apartment. She’d lived here for over thirty five years, and most would call it painfully primitive. “Who needs fancy scmancy technology anyway” she had told the girls when they were young.

“Well, at this point maybe I do” she says again, thinking about how one of the new assistant androids could really help her out around the house. She gets lost in memory, smiling at how capable she used to be. Of course, she glossed over the more unsavory parts of her life. ‘It wasn’t all bad’ she thinks, remembering the night that she was given a chance to walk away and she took it. “Call me?” she’d asked, while he just smiled. “I wouldn’t bet on it”.

She sighs to herself, shaking her head. “Too bad you didn’t batsy. Probably would’ve had a different life” she says. “What was that Nana?” Delia asks, smoothing out the skirt she had opted to wear. It matched her blouse and jacket, so Harleen didn’t complain. She did look up at the woman shocked though. Her hair in a bun, a light bit of lipstick and the girl’s glasses on, and it made Harleen’s heart just about stop.

‘She looks just like I did at her age’ she thinks, smiling from ear to ear.

“Everything okay?” Delia asks, sitting down to breakfast and closing her eyes, savoring the scent of the food before digging in. “Yeah sweetie, everything’s fine” she says, taking off her glasses and pulling out a small towel to dry her eyes. “It doesn’t look like it” Delia says, forgetting her breakfast for a second and focusing on her grandmother.

Harleen smiles, knowing that she had to make something up. “I’m just so proud of ya sweetheart” she says, still smiling. “Now, eat your breakfast. You’re already stick thin and could stand to gain some weight” she teases.

“Nannnna” Delia whines again.

**_Outside of the Apartment_ **

Terry was waiting outside of the apartment number he’d been given, as usual dressed in a suit that he always wore when heading into Wayne Enterprises. Ever since he’d graduated highschool, and gotten his bachelors at Gotham University, he had begun to take a more active role in the company. He’d even been able to get hired as a low level coordinator, risk evaluation.

He smiled to himself every time he thought about his job. ‘They picked the worst person to do that job’ he thinks, knowing that his work at Wayne Enterprises was just a cover for his nightly activities, something he and Bruce both considered to be much more important. 

His mind moves back to his task at hand.

‘Fetching one of the Dee Dees’ he thinks with an audible groan. He didn’t know what to make of it but he felt a certain compulsion to try his best to be polite and accommodating. ‘She’s not all that different from you when you first met Bruce’ he thinks, and that thought was the one that mostly kept him going. 

The door finally opens and Harleen is standing there with a smile. “Ahh, Mr. McGinnis right? It’s so nice of ya to give Delia a ride to work” she says, opening the door wider. “Would you like to come in for a minute? Maybe have a cup of coffee?” she asks. “Sorry Mrs. Dennis” he says, finding himself meaning it. He takes a look at his watch and winces at the time. Vigilante or not, Bruce still expected him to be at work on time.

“But we really have to get to work” he says. Harleen smiles, having guessed that that would be the case. “Delia sweetie, Mr. McGinnis is here” she says, before turning back to the young man. “And none of this Mrs. Dennis stuff. Just call me Harleen. Everyone does” she teases with a wink. Terry can’t help but smile and nod. “Alright, then just call me Terry” he rebuts, watching as Delia exits the bathroom and picks up her bag. “Coming, coming” she says, moving towards the door. “Bye Nana. Love you” she says, kissing the woman on the cheek.

“I love ya more sweetie” she says, letting the woman exit the apartment. “You have fun and work hard. Listen to whatever Terry has to say to ya. And be back right after work. I don’t want no trouble. Ya hear?” she says.

“Yes Nana Harley” she says, embarrassed at the woman’s words. “Alright, good. Now, have a good day. The both of you” she says, closing the door. Terry looks over at the woman, one of his former foes and has to admit that she looked very pretty. ‘At least prettier than she did with that stupid raggedy Anne getup’ he thinks before gesturing for her to follow him.

“Come on, we have to get to the office” he says. 

**_Downtown Gotham_ **

“Great, just great” Terry says to himself with a sigh, resting the side of his head on his palm while leaning against the window. “Of all the days to hit rush hour” he says, shaking his head and reaching forward to activate the car’s communication system. The buzzer rings for two seconds before the screen comes to life. “Terry” Bruce says stoically. “Hey, yeah, we’re going to be late. Traffic is a killer today” he says. 

“Hmmm” Bruce growls, considering it unimportant. “Is Mrs. Dennis with you?” he asks. “Yeah she’s here. Not her fault, blame me” he says, sticking up for the girl. “Seems a smart thing to do” Bruce says, causing Delia to laugh, though she diplomatically hides it behind her hand. Terry glances over at her, a frown on his face before looking back at the screen. “Just get her settled in today” he explains. “It won’t be too intensive. It’s been slow” Wayne says, hinting at something that Terry instantly understood but went over Delia’s head. 

“Alight, no problem” he says. “Wayne out” Bruce says before cutting the feed and leaving the two in general silence.

Delia begins to fiddle with her seatbelt, not knowing exactly what to say to the man who was driving her to a new job. “Is he always soo...stern?” she asks with a light snicker, hoping to lighten the mood. “You don’t know the half of it” Terry says with a sigh before shrugging and giving a light smile himself. “But he’s the best boss I’ve ever had. Get on his good side and he’ll be your best boss too” he says.

“How do I get on his good side?” she asks.

Terry seems reflective for a moment, but eventually he turns and says, “mostly by staying out of his way”.

Delia laughs, thinking it was a joke until she realizes that it wasn’t and begins to take the older man who had dug her out of a lengthy prison sentence more seriously. The car goes silent again, which was something Delia couldn’t abide by at the moment. She needed to talk, was too nervous not too. 

“Can you tell me what my job is going to be?” she asks.

Terry turns and looks at the woman, wondering if she would be angered by what it was going to be. “Ahh, well, you’re going to be my secretary” he says. “Ohh” she deflates, having thought it would be a little more interesting. “So just answering calls and stuff?”

“Well, yeah, just for now” he explains, hoping to lighten her mood a little bit. “It was just hard enough for Mr. Wayne to get you a job there, it was impossible that he’d get you something you weren’t ready for” he says.

“You mean that I’m too dumb for”.

“No, no, just...look, yeah maybe a little” he says with a smirk, drawing an irritated huff from the woman who still takes it good naturedly. “But that’s for now. Once you get some education under your belt, you’ll be fine”.

“I’m amazed I even had a high school diploma” she says, having not found that little tidbit about herself until her court date. “Gotham schools” he says, causing both of them to laugh aloud at the state of their city. “Alright, so you’re not too bad” she says.

“Well thanks, glad I have your approval” he says.

“No, didn’t say that Mr. McGinnis” she teases. “Just said you aren’t too bad” she says. “Alright number one, ouch, and number two, just call me Terry. Mr. McGinnis makes me feel old” he says, inching forward in traffic. “Well you do look kind of old. In the suit I mean. How old are you anyway?” she asks. “Twenty” he says. “And already a big boss man. Was that effort or nepotism?”

“Ohhh big words. I like it” Terry says wryly. “And no. I worked my butt off and am still at a just above entry level job” he says. “Now I’m excited” she retorts, laughing to herself. “I get to work my butt off and then get only to an entry level job!”

“Welcome to the corporate world” he says with a shrug. 

The silence settles back down over them, though this time it is much more comfortable. Still, she wanted to continue talking. ‘Been a while since you had a normal conversation’ she thinks. “So do you have a family?” she asks. “Yeah, Mom and my little brother Matt” he says. “Ohh, so your dad’s out of the picture huh?”

Terry is quiet, his face set in a way that communicates to the blonde that she’d said something wrong. “He died” he says simply. “Ohh god…” she says. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring…” she begins. “Nah, it’s okay. It was...well a while ago now. I’ve learned to handle it” he explains. “He was a good man”.

Terry doesn’t say anything else on the subject, and instead he focuses on the road. “I never knew my dad” she says. Terry looks back at the girl with sympathy in his eyes. “I guess I can understand it you know? I mean, Deidre and I were luckier than most people” she says. “We had someone who cared, Nana Harley. As tough as she was on us, she cared. I guess it was us that didn’t care enough to listen” she says. “Anyways yeah, just...thanks for listening I guess. And for the chance, though that’s more for Wayne than you” she teases, wanting to lighten the mood again. 

“You don’t have to thank me” he says cautiously, not sure if he should trust this girl with the info he was going to but opting for a leap of faith. “Let’s just say, I really get where you’re coming from” he says. “How so?”

“I was like you” 

“Pfft, no you weren’t. Trust me, I can tell you’re lying” she says. “Nope. Scouts honor”.

She crosses her arms over her chest and looks at him expectantly. “Alright, so spill then” she says. “Spill what?”

“How are you “like” me?” she reiterates as if he was dumb.

“I needed a second chance too” he says. “When I was a kid, I was friends with this guy named Charlie Bigelow. They called him Big Time because he was always looking for a score. Wanted to be on top of the world and he’d do anything to get there except actually work at it” he says. “Anyway, I followed him around all the time. Looked up to him. Trusted him” he says, already drawing some feelings of understanding from Delia. ‘Just like you and Dee’ she thinks.

“He started a gang. Small time stuff. Theft, breaking and entering, purse snatching. Anything for a quick buck. Anyway, one night he drags me along on a heist to prove myself to the gang. It goes bad. We get arrested. The difference is? Charlie was seventeen, so he went away as an adult. Got three years. I got two months in juvie” he says.

“I was a rotten kid who hurt my parents and did nothing that could ever make them proud of me” he says, turning to face her. “Then one night, I had an argument with my dad. I stormed out and...I said some awful things to him” he says, his throat clenching at the guilt he still carried around for those words. “The Jokerz came that night” he says, sticking with the official story of his father’s murder as he knew that letting out the truth wouldn’t be wise. 

Delia looks away, biting her lip and rubbing her arm. “Hey, it’s alright” he says. “It wasn’t your crew” he says, wanting to comfort her. “You guys were just punks. These guys? They were psychos. Anyway, my dad….he died that night. I also met Mr. Wayne at the same time. I helped him fight off another gang of Jokerz. Honestly I never understood that, how many of those goons are around?” he says, making Delia feel comfortable at the distance he was verbally putting between her and her former gang.

“Lots of kids with nothing to loose in Gotham” she says, both knowing that to be a fact beyond argument. “So, me and the old geezer kick some ass...and I guess he saw something in me. The same thing he saw in you probably. So, he’s giving you a chance Delia. Just like he gave me”.

Delia can’t help but smile at that, feeling some sort of strange bond forming with the young man driving next to her. “He made me your secretary so you could keep an eye on me didn’t he?” she asks. “Guilty as charged” Terry jokes, enjoying her grimace. “But he also wanted someone nearby who would understand. Maybe offer an ear or a shoulder if you needed one. So, if you need a friend, I’m here for you” he says, looking out towards the traffic that was clearing up. “Schway!” he says, pushing the pedal down and moving the car forward. “Finally moving” he says excitedly. 

Delia smiles herself, happy to be moving but also happy to hear the man’s words. “I think I’d like to have a friend” she says, the two looking at each for a moment before exiting off of the freeway and heading into the congested downtown strip.

**_Wayne Enterprises_ **

The elevator moved up the side of the building, giving the man a bird’s eye view of the city that he had lived in for his entire life. It gave him a degree of peace to know that it would always continue on, but it was an even better comfort to know that it would have a protector long after he was gone. He allows himself a light little smile, the elevator stopping and the door behind him opening. He steps out and moves down the hallway, knowing the path he would take by heart.

The cane helped him, but he was never able to move as fast as he had been in his youth. People moved out of the way, allowing him through and regarding the man with something akin to awe. ‘Some things don’t change’ he thinks to himself, pushing open the door to Terry’s office.

He enters and watches as a blonde woman looks up from her desk. He’s momentarily shocked, a vision of the past coming back to him as he looks upon Delia Dennis. She smiles, though it was light and much more polite than genuine. “Hello Mr. Wayne. How can I help you?” she asks cheerfully, apparently wanting to make a good first impression.

‘That’s good’ he thinks, moving forward. “rs. Dennis, how are you settling in?” he asks, tabling the discussion he wished to have with Terry for a later date. “Very well Mr. Wayne” she replies. “Mr. McGinnis really helped me get the grasp of what he wants down, though secretarial work really isn’t all that hard.

He shakes his previous thoughts away, not able to really analyze them at this point. ‘No, she died that night’ he reminds himself, remembering how Barbara had relayed the tale of the Joker’s henchwoman’s death. He smiles at the girl, a rare sight indeed. “Well, I’m glad you don’t find it too challenging” he explains. “Work hard, work honestly, and there will always be a place here for you at Wayne Enterprises” he explains.

“Well...thank you Mr. Wayne” she says. 

“You’re welcome. Now, is Terry in? I have….something to discuss with him” he explains. Her eyes light up, apparently loving this one aspect of her job. “One moment Mr. Wayne” she says, reaching forward and activating the intercom. “Mr. McGinnis” she says sweetly, already having developed a teasing rapport with the man. “Mr. Wayne is here to see you” she says. “Send him in please Ms. Dennis” he says.

She turns back to Bruce and stands up, smoothing out her skirt and walking over towards the door to Terry’s office. “Go right on in Mister Wayne” she says, opening the door for him and holding it as he slowly strolls into the room. “Thank you Ms. Dennis”.

“If you need anything else, let me know” she says, closing the door behind her and leaving Bruce and Terry alone. The dark haired young man stands up and leans against his desk, looking at his mentor. “She’s laying it on thick” Bruce says, shuffling over to an armchair. “Uhhmm” Terry says, waiting for the old man to get to whatever he wanted to get to. “But she’ll do alright here” he says. Bruce just grunts, looking out over the city.

“I received a police report last night” he says. Terry is instantly all ears. He knew what that was code for. ‘So, Gordon needs our help again’ he thinks. “Apparently a certain industrial saboteur is back in town” he says.

“Know for a fact or does it just fit her MO?” Terry asks, all business. “They don’t know anything for a fact” Bruce says with a wry smile. “But we know better” he supplies. Terry smirks right back. “Who do you think is the target?” 

Bruce doesn’t respond at first, he had already been wracking his mind for a few possible locations but hadn’t come up with anything solid. “That’s for you to find out. I would suggest staying near Fox/Azteca though” he explains. Terry nods, rubbing the back of his head. “Another long night” he says.

“It’s not as if you do anything real here” Bruce says, not minding the use of the cover at all.

“Touche”

**_Delia and Harleen’s Apartment, Later that Night_ **

She was bored to tears. 

‘No’, she corrects. ‘Scratch that. Bored beyond tears’ she thinks. For the past hour she had been sitting with her grandmother, just watching a cooking show. The chair was cozy, the air was cool, but the atmosphere was something that was so different from what the formerly delinquent woman had been used to. 

‘Pfft, if I was still with the Jokerz we’d be robbing a store right now’ she thinks, shuddering at the feeling of wanting that back. ‘No, no, it’s a good sign. You’re correcting yourself’ she thinks, knowing that she wouldn’t go back to that life. She looked across at her grandmother who was sitting cheerfully in her chair, a blanket over her legs. She smiles and reaffirms that in her mind.

‘I’ll make you proud Nana’. She frowns instantly again. ‘But I do neeeeeed to get out of this house!’ she thinks. She sits up and stretches, drawing the woman’s curious attention. ‘Ohh no, she’s still watching me like a cat’. 

She looks towards the clock and sees the bright green 8:02 on it. ‘Ohh! It’s not late at all. Maybe…’ she thinks before turning to the woman. “Hey grandma do you think…”   
  


“Absolutely not young lady” Harleen says, cutting her off. Delia frowns in response. “You don’t even know what I was going to ask” she says. “Yeah I do. Remember, I wiped your bottom. I know everything about ya. You wanna go out” she says, making Delia wince at the fact that she’d hit the nail on the head. “Only for a little while…” she says a little meekly, feeling that her chances of getting some entertainment and fresh air were going out the window.

“Nuh uh, you might run into your old friends, and one, I don’t want ya gettin’ hurt, and two, I don’t want you getting any funny ideas and gettin’ tempted”.

“Nana, they’re all in prison” she whines. “I had to testify” she says. “And you made such a good witness too. But your little butt is staying in that chair” she says. “But….alright Nana’ she says, acquiescing with a sigh. ‘It’ll take some more time to earn her trust back’ she reminds herself. ‘You did this too yourself’.

Harleen looks over at the now pouting girl and finds her resolve cracking. ‘She has been behaving, and this is the first time she just listened to you and didn’t take off on her own’ she thinks, adding up all parts of the equation as fairly as she could. “Alright, I’ll meet ya halfway ya scamp” she says, pinching the bridge of her nose. She instantly draws the woman’s attention. “If ya can go out with that Terry guy, ta make sure you behave, you can go out. But only!” she stresses, a finger in the air before she forgot what she was going to say. “Only….ahh yeah, only to traditional like stuff” she says.

“What does that mean?” Delia asks, ecstatic about getting out of the house moderately on her own. “Well like movies or a restaurant. Don’t want ya going to all those crazy places kids these days go ta. Gettin’ yourself in trouble” she says. Delia was over the moon and jumped up, hugging her grandmother. “Thanks Nana. I’ll call Terry and see if he’s free” she says, picking up her phone and dialing the number labelled boss man.

**_Across the City, Fox/Azteca Loading Dock_ **

“Don’t you ever get tired of attacking the same place Inque?” Terry asks, jumping up and avoiding the sharp edge of the woman’s hand, her malleability allowing her entire body to be a weapon. “No” she retorts, her voice carrying as she lunges forward, wanting to pin her adversary to a concrete wall. 

She is stuck for a moment, but as usual it’s only a moment.

She retracts the sharp appendage and looks back at Batman who readies a few batarangs. He chucks them, and most of them go right through the woman or are absorbed before they explode. She lets out a little grunt of pain at the inner explosion, but it wasn’t much.

“Really?” she asks, watching as Batman brings up another batarang. She is dismayed by his smile, as if he’d finally beaten her. “You don’t pay attention much do you?” he asks, chucking the batarang upwards towards a water pipe that had been installed for emergency situations in which a fire would need to be put out.    
  
  
Water begins to sprout down, though not enough to breakdown the woman’s molecular makeup. A good enough amount splashes onto her though and she retreats out of the range of the now cascading waterfall.

“Nice try” she says, quickly reforming. “But it’ll take more than a few drops” she says. “Ohh I know” he retorts, hands on his hips. “Just waiting to see how the chemical compound reacts with them” he explains.

Inque is confused for a moment, but then she feels an icy chill in her midsection. She falls to her knees, holding herself. “What...what did you do to me?” she asks, her breath now misty. “Just added some new cryogenic material to your biology” he explains moving closer. “Don’t know too much of the science behind it, but I do know that it stretches out some of the atoms in the chemical make up of water. Kind of like a virus” he teases, watching as her arms freeze solid.

“Ohh no” she says.

“Don’t worry, won’t kill you. But it’ll give you a nasty case of brain freeze” he teases, watching as the ice begins to encase more and more of her body. “I’ll kill you Batman I swear….” she says before being fully encased, her words stopped in her now frozen throat. 

“Yeah, sure you will” Terry says, bringing his hand up to his ear, activating the two way communication device. “She’s dealt with. Better tell the commissioner where to pick her up” he says, walking away. “Any damage to Fox/Azteca?” Bruce asks from his position in the Batcave. 

“Nah. Aside from a busted water pipe, nothing” he says before a ringing interrupts his conversation. “Ohh, have another call, hold on” he says, using his wings and boosters in his shoes to propel him away from the scene. He lands on top of a building, just in time for the police sirens to split the air. “Just on time” he says, clicking the ear piece again and picking up the phone before the last ring. 

“Hello?” he asks, expecting to hear his mother or Matt, asking when he’d be done working for Mr. Wayne. “Hey McGinnis” comes an unexpected voice. “It’s Delia” she says. “Ohh, hey, everything alright?” he asks. “Also, what happened to Mr. McGinnis?” he teases.

“Only during office hours T” she says, teasing him right back and bringing her hand up inadvertently to play with a lock of her hair. She doesn’t notice, but Harleen notices and smiles at the fact that her granddaughter already had an innocent little crush. 

“Ummm...are you busy?” she asks.

Terry looks back over the roadway leading to the factory, watching as the police swarmed and packed up the big icicle as quickly as they can. He can even pick out Gordon’s figure moving over the scene. 

“Well...uhh, why what’s up?” he asks.

“Well, this is going to sound stupid, but I really wanna go out. Just to stretch my legs and get some air and Nana won’t let up on my imprisonment unless I have a guard with me” she says. “At least I chose a handsome guard for ya” Harleen says quietly, smirking at the tv. Delia ignores her and continues on. “Anyway, to make a long sob story short, I need you to come out with me to a movie or something” she says. 

“Uhh, well, one second” he says, not fully understanding what was going on. “Let me just check with the old man” he says, switching over links as soon as he has her assent. “Hmm, I heard” Bruce says, preempting his question. “Inque is custody?” he asks. “As far as I can tell” Terry says. “Well, I guess you’re done for the night McGinnis” he says gravely. “Early night. Then again, ever since the Jokerz were arrested crime has seemed to take a breather” he explains. “Take her out, and keep an eye on her” Bruce orders. “Sure boss” Terry says, being a bit irritated as he was hoping to have a night at home.

“Wayne out” he says, cutting the link as Terry switches over to the other line. “Hey Del, yeah, I’m free. Can I pick you up in about...thirty minutes?” he asks, wanting to get back to the cave and change into his street clothes. “Yeah that’s fine, and Terry?.....Thanks” she says before hanging up.

**_Thirty Five Minutes Later_ **

“Alright Nana, Terry will be here soon so I’m just gonna wait…” she begins before Harleen laughs. “I wasn’t born yesterday as ya can easily tell toots” she jokes. “Besides, it’s polite for a man ta come and collect a lady” she says. “Sit down for a bit, you’re already fighting ta get away from me” she jokes. 

Delia sits down and crosses her legs, looking over at her grandmother with a smile. “You’re too smart for me Nana” she teases. “You bet your butt. Half the stuff you think of, I invented, well, me and my friend Pamela” she says, once again going over the past before looking up at her granddaughter. “You know, it’s nice not ta see ya dressed as a scamp” she says, admiring how the jeans, sneakers, and much more conservative blue top complimented her. “Nana” Delia says, wanting to brush past the issue. “What? You’re a beautiful girl, and I’m glad you’re not hiding it under all that trashy makeup and wig” she says. 

“Yeah” Delia says. “It was more Deidre’s idea, the whole raggedy Anne getup I mean” she says, remembering when it was suggested. “Pppftt, knew it. You were always the smart one Delia” she says. A knock on the door interrupts any further conversation and Delia jumps up, excited at the man’s arrival. She opens the door and smiles, leaning against it. “Took you long enough McGinnis” she teases. 

Terry just scoffs back. “Sorry, I’ll try faster next time Del” he says, enjoying the easy ribbing that they’d settled into. ‘Almost thought the whole Dee Dee thing would make it impossible to get along with her’ he thinks, smiling as Harleen shuffles into the door frame. “Ohh! Handsome is back” she says, making him wonder if the old woman’s teasing would become a staple as well. 

She turns serious and brings her cane up to poke him gently in the chest. “You have her back by 10:30” she begins before getting a look from Delia. “Fine, eleven, but it’s a work night so remember that wontcha’?” she asks before adding, “And no funny business between the both of you….yet” she teases.

“Nannnnnnaaaaa” Delia whines, stepping out into the hallway besides Terry. “I’ll be sure there aren’t any issues Mrs. Dennis” he says. “After all, it’s against policy for bosses to date employees” he says, casting a look towards Delia with an emphasis on the word “employee”.

“I’m gonna get even with you McGinnis” she says. 

“Ahh, well, hope that the policy changes one day”.

Harleen teases, Terry giving a little wave as they move down the hallway. 

Harleen closes the door and moves to the clock, setting an alarm for when they were supposed to be home. 

**_Neo-Gotham Megaplex_ **

“Well we have half an hour until the movie starts” he says, sitting down with the tickets in the large swivel chair that stood in the middle of a large gaming room. Sounds of videogame violence and kid’s laughter filled the air, and Delia found herself enjoying it as she sat on the couch, her arms over the back of it. 

“This place is…..pretty schway” she says. “Yeah, yeah, I know, sorry. Only place that’s open now that I know is alright” he says. Delia shakes her head and laughs. “No, no, I mean it. I like this” she says. “I used to take my brother Matt her alot” he says, looking around. He smiles to himself before sighing. “He wouldn’t be caught dead here now” he says. “Too cool”.

“Pffft, cool is severely overrated” she says, crossing her leg over the other and drawing his attention. “You didn’t have to pay you know? I mean, I invited you out…” she says. “Eh, forget it” he says. 

He looks around, the two of them looking for something to talk about. “I haven’t been to see a movie in…...I don’t even know how long.” she says. “It’s been a while for me too. Work got in the way. Used to love going to the movies until it became “uncool”. Again, peer pressure sucks” he says. 

“Amen brother” she says. 

Terry is about to respond when he sees something that draws his attention away from her. His face falls and his eyes narrow, almost instantly. “I say something McGinnis?” she asks, trying to get a fix on what Terry was looking at.

“Wasn’t you” he says with a sigh. He looks up at her and shrugs. “See the girl in the blue dress?” he asks,

She looks back and indeed sees a woman...with her face currently glued to a guy. 

“Ahh, yeah, shorty with no curves locking lips with tall dark and obviously daddy’s money enriched. What about her?” she asks, turning back to the man. Terry’s eyebrow shoots up and a smile comes to his lips at how she talked down on the situation. ‘Huh, who would’ve thought not caring could be so attractive’.

“She’s my ex. Dana Tan” he says. “Was just a...bad breakup, at least for me” he says. She looks at him with a tilted head, smirking. “It always is for the guys, at least when they really care” she teases. “Ohh? Why is that?”

“Because you guys are chumps” she laughs. “We bat an eyelid at you and you’ll fall over your feet to make us happy. We can always get another one”.

“Pffft. Whatever” Terry says, laughing to himself. Delia keeps looking at him though, admiring how he looked so attractive, even in just that faded brown jacket. “Uhh ohh, looks like she noticed you, and she’s coming this way” Delia says, hiding how she looked and noticed as the couple approach. “Frag it” he begins, ready to turn his head and look. Delia stops him by leaning forward and taking his chin before moving herself into his lap. He goes wide eyed and looked at her curiously. “Play along” she whispers.

“Terry?” they hear from behind them, and Delia looks up, knowing that from their position they looked as if they were kissing. Terry turns his head and looks, a sheepish smile on his face. “Ohh Dana, hey” he says. 

“Hi” the Asian girl says a little confusedly, the man beside her looking down at her, apparently waiting an introduction. “Terry” Delia begins, a wicked smile on her face. “Who’s this? Should I be jealous?” she asks, tracing a finger up and down the side of his cheek.

“Terry and I used to date” she says, looking up at the man she was with who eyed the other man distastefully. “Ahh” he says. “This is Mark Johansen” she suddenly explains, molding herself into the man’s side, obviously trying to make Terry jealous.    
  
“Hey” he says, focusing more on holding Dana close in an effort to make it all the worse. Terry’s eyes narrow, having gotten use to etiquette and respect while working at Wayne Enterprises. He’s about to say something when he feels Delia’s hand turning his gaze back to her. “Aren’t you going to tell them who I am babe?” she asks lovingly, looking out of the corner of her eye and enjoying the scowl that breaks out on the other woman’s face.

“Ohh uh yeah, this is my girlfriend Delia” he says, trying to keep his face straight while telling such a bald faced lie. “Awww, well I’d say we’re more than that” Delia teases, running her fingers through his hair. She keeps looking into his eyes and both see the utter mirth at the hilarity of the situation. “Yeah well, our movie is about to start, so come on Dana” Mark says, pulling the woman with him, not even casting a look back at the couple, though Dana does.

Delia gives a nice little wave, making sure to dip down towards Terry’s face and continue the charade.    
  
“They gone?” he asks, drawing Delia’s laughter as she covers her mouth with her hand. “Yup, they’re gone” she says, getting up off of him and holding out her hand. “And our movie is starting, though we already know who the academy award should go to” she teases.

**_Two Hours Later_ **

“That was a pretty...dumb movie” she says, Terry agreeing instantly. “Tornadoes and sharks” he says, nodding to himself, remembering how ridiculous and over the top every scene had been. He pulled the car onto the freeway, heading back towards the apartment.

“We’re going to go see the second one right?” she asks.

“Of course” Terry chuckles, enjoying that they were on the same wavelength. “It was pretty awesome when they ripped up that tank” she chuckles. “Even better when they got the helicopter pilot”.

“Ohh my god, did you see that actress’ face? She’s so bad at her job that she’s actually pretty good at it” she jokes. The laughter dies down and eventually they settle into a comfortable silence. “Thanks for tonight Terry. It was nice to feel normal for a little while”.

“Well, you are normal” he says. “Pfft, thanks for saying that even if we both know it isn’t true”.

“It can be” Terry responds, getting used to having to pull her up out of her self pity. “Things usually go the way we want, so make your life what you want Del” he says. She smiles at him and looks out at the window, the car turning onto the street where her apartment was. “You call me that a lot” she says. “Del”.

“Didn’t realize you didn’t like it” he says. “No, no. I do. It’s pretty schway that I already have a nickname with you. Better than “Dee Dee” she says with a shudder. “I always hated that, at least to myself” she says.

Terry pulls up in front of the apartment and gets out, deciding to walk her up and check in with Harleen. “Made me feel like I was just an extension of my sister, not my own person” she says. “Well, be your own person then...Del” he says, walking into the elevator alongside her. “It’s that easy huh?”

Terry is reflective for a minute before he turns to her and just nods. “Yeah” he says. 

Delia smiles back at him and looks at the panel, watching as the red lights indicating their floor go up and up. “I’ll give it a try McGinnis” she says. “Good” he responds as the doors open. “I like who you are when you’re being you”.

For some reason, that made Delia smile the widest and it’s noticed by Harleen who opens the door, having seen the car park down below. “It’s 11:05 Terry” she teases. “I should give ya a spanking, but I’d enjoy that too much”.

“Sorry Mrs. H” he teases right back. “It won’t happen again”. 

Delia already sees another teasing response coming from the older woman and she laughs, jokingly covering her mouth with her hand. “Alright Nana, I’m going to have to get a spray bottle for you” she teases. “You can only hope you’ll be as spry and feisty as your nana is when ya get to my age sweetie” she says, looking back towards Terry with a much more genuine smile. “Did you two have fun?” she asks.

“We did, we did. Sharknado was interesting. Even better with your granddaughters running commentary” he says. “What can I say, I’m entertaining” she retorts. “Sharknado?” Harleen asks confusedly. “Yeah, a tornado went over some ocean, picked up a bunch of sharks and...yeah it’s stupid but also….hilarious somehow” she says.

Harleen thinks back to a certain memory she had that wasn’t all negative when it started. ‘Smiling fish’ she thinks to herself, shrugging. “Well, I guess I can understand that a bit” she chuckles to herself. Delia leans against the door frame, noticing how tired her grandmother looked. “Lets get you to bed Nana” she says, reaching out before her hands are gently swatted away by the woman’s cane. “I love the caring you Delia, but I ain’t an invalid” she says. “Goodnight Terry” she says, yawning before saying “Excuse me”.

“Goodnight Mrs. H”.

Harleen frowns before sighing. “Well, it’s better than Mrs. Dennis” she says. Terry looks at Delia and smiles, not sure of what else to say at this point. “Goodnight Del. Thanks for tonight, it was fun” he says. She smiles as well, a cute little smile that has its focal point at the corner of her mouth. “Hope we can do it again McGinnis” she says.    
  
“Count on it”

Terry waves as he walks back towards the elevator, and Delia closes the door slowly keeping an eye on him while Harleen watches her. “Hmm, you dating yet?” 

“What? Nana no” Delia says, a little embarrassed. “Terry’s a good friend but he’s just not my type at all” she defends herself, the blush giving her away. “Uhhmm. And I’m the queen a’ Sweden. Besides, your ‘type’, sucks” she retorts. 

Delia crosses her arms under her chest and laughs to herself, finding the whole situation hilarious. “One night out with a friend who isn’t wearing clown make up and you’re already marrying me off”.

“Pffft. Heavens ta Mergatroid no...that’s next month” she teases, loving the time she was spending teasing her granddaughter. ‘We haven’t gotten to do this in a long time’ she thinks, watching as Delia throws her hands up. “In all seriousness though, which I know I’m not any good at, I’m gettin’ old sweetie” she says, drawing a concerned expression from Delia. “Is everything okay? You’re not sick are you?” she asks.

“Ohh no, stop your fussin’. Ain’t like that” she calms the girl. “But, we gotta face it. Nana ain’t exactly a spring chicken. I just wanna see ya happy and safe before I go, which won’t be for many more years now remember” she says with a smirk. 

Delia just lets the woman speak, knowing she had to get it out. In fact, it even made her feel nice for some reason. Knowing that she cared so much. “Anyway, I know ya will do just fine and you’re going to make it. I see that now” she says. “And I’m off ta bed for my beauty sleep” she says, patting the younger woman’s shoulder. Delia smiles and puts her hand over the woman’s before letting it slip off. 

“Nana” she says quickly, something having been on her mind for a while now. “Yeah sweetie?”

  
“I...I love you” she says. There was something about the words that carried more than just a affirmation of affection. There was an apology, and a promise to do better. They were all things that had been said to her by her granddaughter before, but for some reason….the way she said it this time was much more meaningful.

“I love you too my little munchkin. Now get some sleep. Ya wanna look well rested for work in the morning” she says before shuffling away. “And for Terry” she adds,

“We’re just friends Nana” she shouts out exasperatedly, a smile on her face. “Not for long!” she shouts back in a singsong voice. Delia grunts in aggravation at not being believed on that front before she moves into her own bedroom, thinking back on how she had enjoyed the look of pure jealousy on little miss priss’s face. ‘Just don’t like her, that’s all’ she thinks, getting ready for bed. 

**_Gotham Skyline_ **

The batmobile soared over the city, scanning the streets for any sign of...well anything that seemed out of place. Its pilot was a million miles away though, his mind fixated on how good the night had gone. “McGinnis, I thought you were off patrol” Wayne calls, apparently having been woken up for whatever reason. 

“Just doing another quick loop around the city. Making sure” he says apathetically, a text coming to his phone. He pulls it up on the computer and the words flash onto the screen. “I take it back. You do have my approval” it says, and it was obviously from Delia.

“How did it go tonight?” he asks.

“It went fine” Terry says, coming back to Earth. “We had fun. Saw a ridiculous movie. Nothing big” he says. “No signs of criminal intent?” Wayne asks. “Ohh yeah, she held up the cash register. Of course not, everything went fine, like I said” Terry bites back sarcastically. 

The line goes silent on his end, and Terry is just about to speak up when Bruce interrupts him. “Don’t get too attached McGinnis” he warns. “What do you mean? We’re just friends” he says. “Even that is pushing it” Wayne warns, looking down at Ace who regards him strangely. “I seem to recall that you have a weakness for blonde former criminals” he says.

“Ouch, low blow” Terry says, though Bruce presses on. “And with your recent breakup, I don’t want you losing focus” he says.

“I’m not losing focus” Terry defends himself. “I’m just helping her out a little. She needs normal interaction Bruce. Knowing that life isn’t just about getting what you can get and hurting others”.

“Hrmmm, just make sure she doesn’t get in the way of your job. Your real job” Bruce says. “No problem. Won’t happen” he says. “Wayne out”.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Gotham City Probation Office, District Three Neo-Gotham_ **

She was sitting right across from her, her fingers laced through one another with an expression that made Delia squirm in her seat. Maria Bertenelli-Sage finally breaks the eye contact and leans down, opening a drawer and pulling out a file.

“I’m going to be honest with you” the middle aged but still beautiful woman says. “I don’t like you much. Then again, I don’t like any of you when you first come through here” she says, pushing the folder across to Delia. “Thing is, I can grow to like you, if you give me a reason to” she explains. “Perks of me liking you? I won’t be so much of a hardass and I’ll be a little nicer” she says, a wicked smile on her face that hinted at the woman’s inner sadism when it came to being a hardass. 

“However,” she goes on. “Me not liking you at the moment, that doesn’t mean I won’t go to hell and back for you” she explains. “Now, help me fill in some blanks. I know you’re working at Wayne Enterprises, good for you. Good start. My mom used to know Bruce Wayne, my dad too probably” the woman says evasively, looking at the picture on her desk. She was young, only about ten, and was holding a crossbow, having just won an archery competition with it. Her mother and father were on either side, both smiling ear to ear in pride at their daughter. 

“Go over the contents of that folder, and then burn them” she says, handing the file over to the woman and watching Delia’s eyes widen in shock before Maria bursts out laughing, thinking, ‘Alright, I may end up liking her a bit sooner than I thought’.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding. No, actually keep that” she says. “It’s important. All the info involving the rules and restrictions of your probation is in there” she says. Maria turns back to the computer and smiles, pulling up a file by voice activation. “Damn tech, soon everything will be voice activated” she says, pressing her finger to the screen and moving things around.

“Anyways, do you have any friends or acquaintances?” she asks, looking back towards Delia. “Not that I actually care, just so you know” she says sarcastically. “Just wanna make sure you’re not hanging around with any felons which would be against the terms of your parole” she says.

Delia nods, finding herself liking the tough woman more and more. “Ahh well...no. All my former friends are felons now, if they weren’t before” she explains. “Pfft, then it would be better for you to stay on your own, so be lonely. It’s good for you” she says.

Delia frowns and huffs, placing her hands on the desk. “I didn’t say that I don’t have any friends. I do..well, one. His name is Terry. Terry McGinnis. I work for him” she explains with a triumphant smirk. “Terry? I know him and his mother Mary. Nice kid. Used to have some problems but he really turned himself around. You’re doing good by sticking by him” Maria says, focused on the screen as she puts in all her information.

“You know them?” she asks.

“Yeah, they live in my daughter’s apartment building” she says. “Mary watches the kids when I can’t. I hate it but sometimes I have to watch out for young punks like you” she says, pushing her glasses down and appraising the younger woman over her glasses. Delia just shrugs. “Aww, poor you” she says.

“Starting to get some venom in your bite” Maria says with a light smile. “Good sign. But watch it with me missy. My bark is just as bad as my bite”.

“Can’t be too awful then” she says.

“Ohh zinger, hardy har har” Mary says, pressing a button on the screen and printing out something behind her. She reaches back and takes it, handing the woman a notebook as well. “I want you to write a diary for me” she says, Delia already glancing at the paper that certified she’d been there to see her probation officer. “What?” she asks, a little surprised.

“Or a journal if the word diary bothers you that much you damn feminist” Maria says jokingly. “But yeah, I want you to write down your day to day experiences. Doesn’t have to be everyday, but I want you to put something down, that way you have something to look back on and maybe something to learn from when you get a little older” she says,

Delia looks at the empty notebook and reaches out to take it, putting it in her bag with the intent of forgetting about it. ‘Like I’m going to write in a stupid fricking book’ she thinks.

Maria was one step ahead of her.

“And you’re going to let me read it every week” she says. “NO FRAGGIN WAY!” Delia shouts angrily. “It’s bad enough you wanna have me spill my guts onto paper like an angsty teen, there is no way I’m going to let you read it!” she says.

Maria just shrugs. “Relax, I’m kidding. I mean, I would if I could but unfortunately that’s illegal for me. ‘Invasion of privacy” she says with air quotes with her fingers. “Anyway, least I know you’ll be writing in it. I do wanna see that you do, even if you just open it to show me that writing is in there” she says. 

Delia calms down, feeling a little bad about her outburst. “Sound good?” Maria asks, waiting for her to agree. “Yeah sure fine” she says. “Not like I have all that much to do at home” she mutters.

“Ahh, you live with a Harleen Dennis right?” she asks. “Yeah. She’s my grandmother” Delia says. “Yeah, I get that. It’s all right here” she says, tapping the computer and looking at it oddly. “Everything okay?” Delia asks. “Yeah, yeah...just an uhhhh…” Maria says, looking at the screen and seeing the utter lack of information. “Glitch in the system” she says. “But yeah, I suggest you keep it to Terry for now” she says. “Focus on work, and then school. Meet some people who aren’t hardened street punks” Maria says looking back across the table. 

“Yeah yeah, whatever” she says. “That all?”

“That’s all. I’ll see you next week Delia” she says, standing up and offering her her hand. “Welcome to the civilized world” she says. Delia reaches out and takes her hand, which Maria suddenly grasps tightly. “Don’t screw it up. I’m betting on you kid” she says, shocking Delia with the vote of confidence. She nods and Maria lets go, waving her off. “Call me if you need anything. But I’ll break your teeth if you call me at two o’clock in the morning for a ride. Been there, done that” she says.

“No need to worry about that” Delia says, picking up her bag and making to the exit. She stops and turns back, a smirk on her lips. “My curfew is eleven, and only if Terry is with me even then” she says. 

Delia exits without another word and Maria looks back to the screen, wondering why there was such a blank slate for Harleen Dennis. ‘Hmm...she does seem...familiar…’ she thinks to herself, scanning the scant information available and wondering if something would pop out at her.

**_Apartment of Mary McGinnis_ **

“Terry, are you home?” Mary calls out, walking through the door. “Yeah mom, in here” he calls out, sitting at the kitchen table, his laptop out and a few tabs open. Mostly Wayne Enterprises risk evaluation sheets. 

  
He pinches the bridge of his nose and looks away, blinking for a few minutes. “You’re gonna go blind” Matt says, walking into the room and reaching up into a cabinet, picking up a bag of chips. He jumps up and sits on the counter, ripping open the bag before chowing down. 

Terry looks up with a smirk, appraising his younger brother who had grown like a tree.    
  
“This from the guy who plays vid games twenty four seven” he retorts. “You’re just mad because I kicked your ass at Battle Toads 3” he says, his mouth open to reveal the chomped down chips. “Language” Mary says, entering the kitchen and putting her purse down. “Hey mom” Terry says, smiling up at the redheaded woman.

“Hi Terry. Bringing work home again?” she asks, a critical eye on the laptop. “Yeah. Mr. Wayne wants a few projections for a new building project downtown down tonight. It’s actually kind of interesting. There’s an old subway tunnel there, so I have to account for that and call the city council to get a….”

“YAAAAAANNNN!” Matt says dramatically, flicking a chip at his older brother. Terry picks it up from the table and eats it. “Remember twip, I can still trounce you in a vid game called real life” he teases. “Pfffft” he says, pretending to not be worried but still knowing not to cross his brother. Mary remains silent, admiring the inter sibling rivalry. 

“Well” she says, turning with a sigh, looking up at the cabinets. “I wish you wouldn’t work so hard Terry. I mean, with Mr. Wayne running you ragged as it is, and school coming up well…” she says, being worried naturally as a mother would be. 

“It’s alright mom” he says shrugging. “Besides, the pay raise has been pretty great. Even allows me to help out more around here” he says.

“Well, that’s true sweetie, but I don’t want you bending yourself to a breaking point” she says, bringing down some pancake mix. “Oooh breakfast for dinner huh?” Matt asks, suddenly excited. “Uhhmm. Sorry, don’t have much else in the cupboards right now sweetie. Haven’t gotten a chance to go shopping” she says. “Ohh mom, slag it, sorry I forgot. Do you want me to run out before…”.

“No it’s fine Terry. I’ll go in the morning. We have enough for tonight” she says, moving towards the table and getting out all her ingredients. Matt loses interest and leaves the room, while Terry packs up his computer, ready to head in for his night shift. “How are you doing with everything else sweetie?” she asks.

“What do you mean?” he asks.

“You know exactly what I mean” she says in that ‘mother knows all’ attitude. “How are you doing with what happened between you and Dana?” she asks. Terry goes silent and crosses his arms on the table. “Well, I…”

“I know it was pretty bad for you” she says, sitting down and taking a moment out of meal preparation to speak to her son. “I know that there’s this myth about men not being bothered or hurt by stuff” she teases. “That you’re just supposed to brush yourself off and move on without getting upset. But that’s not true. Maybe...maybe it...ohh I don’t know Terry, I’m the worst person to talk to about this” she says exasperatedly.

Terry quirks an eyebrow, knowing that he himself hadn’t brought on the conversation but willing to hear the woman out. He sighs, wanting to get it out of the way as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out the ring box he’d been carrying with him for months. He puts it on the table and Mary’s eyes go wide, not having realized the depth of the emotional turmoil her son had been going through. “I was going to propose to her mom” he says.

“I figured...well, I had a nice job, a good amount of money. I was really working for something better. I was going to ask her to marry me, and then move out into our own place. The week before, we had a huge fight, again over work and well….it’s all gone now” he says.

“Ohh Terry, I’m sorry” she says, reaching out for her son’s shoulder. He shrugs. “It’s alright” he responds. “I’m alright”.

“It’s okay if you’re not Terry” she says. “I don’t know if you need me to tell you but it’s alright if everything isn’t okay”.

“Thanks mom” he says, stretching his shoulders. “But…”

His words are interrupted by his cell phone going off. “Ahh, it’s Mr. Wayne” he says, picking it up and clicking it on. “Hello?”

“Terry, you haven’t left for patrol have you?” he asks, getting right to the point. “No, why?” he asks, looking at his mom who regards him curiously. “I need you to stay in tonight” he explains. “And if you can, return the suit” he explains.

“Why?”

“Gordon has implanted a new city wide thermal imaging scanner” Bruce explains. “It goes online tonight, and as it is the batmobile and your suit are not cloaked against it. I need to cloak it. She gave me enough to come up with a blueprint, but I need time”.

“Hmm, so I guess I’m on night leave for a little while huh?” he asks, a little put down as night patrols were always something he looked forward to. “Yes” Bruce says, his voice making it clear that he would broke no disagreement. “Alright, alright. I’ll get it over to you a little later” he says. “We’ll talk soon” he says before disconnecting the line.

Terry hangs up and looks at his mother. “What?”

“Just sounds like you have a few nights off and yet you seem sad about it” she says. “Well, I guess it was just something to do” he explains. “Haven’t had much to do other than that” he says. “Well, maybe you can find something then” she says. “Yeah, maybe” he responds, opening back up his laptop and trying to get in a few more statements. 

**_Blackgate Island, Prison Yard_ **

She sat down alone on one of the benches, her eyes fixed on the city skyline well past the tumultuous bay, the waves being whipped up by the coming storm. “Ey, blondie, I wanna sit here, so scram” a woman says from behind her. She was massive, and was flanked by two goons.    
  
“Ohh is it?” Deidre asks innocently. 

“Yeah, it is. And the fucking lost little girl act ain’t gonna help you in here” the woman says. Her two goons snicker to one another, apparently enjoying her discomfort. “Give it to her Gutierrez” the one of the right with half of a shaved head says. 

“Yeah, show the little bitch who owns this yard” the other says, her hair in one long pony tail. Deidre smiles, her hand behind her back as she slowly retracts the shank she’d made from her toothbrush out of her jumpsuit. “Ohh sure, let me get up and give it to you” she says before jumping straight at the massive woman and jabbing the end of the shiv into her neck. The woman screams out in pain and falls down as Deidre rips out the woman’s throat. 

Blood spurts everywhere, especially onto Deidre’s face, a sickening contrast of her pale skin and the bright red blood. She keeps stabbing and stabbing, a wicked grin splitting her face. Alarms and klaxons blare, guards moving out into the yard and corralling the other excited prisoners, while the others rush across the walkways. 

“LET HER GO DENNIS!” one of the guards screams before pulling her off of the now long dead woman. The shiv goes flying and she kicks out her legs, laughing maniacally. “I’LL CARVE A SMILE INTO ALL YOUR FACES! YOU’LL SEE!” she shouts before laughing even more, being dragged away and sedated. A few more guards come out, forming a circle around the dead body. 

“What the fuck happened here?” a CO says, coming up to look at the woman on the ground. He makes to check on her but the older man stops him. “No use. Just get a tarp and call the coroner though we already know what happened” he says, looking out through the fence at the bay.

“It’s like bad weather brings out the crazies” the man says. 

“Or maybe the crazies bring out the bad weather” another jokes, apparently having to do so to avoid the morbidity of the situation. “But the weather is always bad here in Gotham” another interjects, trying his best to look away from the corpse. 

“Exactly” the older man says. “Exactly. Looks like a big storm is coming soon” he adds, the waves indeed getting chopped up as lightning flashes and thunder breaks the sky. The laughter of Deidre Dennis could be heard even over the flash, making a shiver go up the man’s spine.

**_Dennis Apartment_ **

“Ohh Delia, you’re a beautiful girl but your future husband betta’ get used ta takeout” Harleen says, swatting Delia away from the counter. “Why? What did I do wrong?” she asks her grandmother. “Nothing, nothing, if you used baking soda in lasagna” she says, a crooked eyebrow and smirk on her face.

She holds the container up and makes Delia blush as it indeed says, baking soda on the side. “I...I thought it was cheese for a second” she says sheepishly. “Ohh sweetie…” she says, patting her granddaughter’s cheek. “It’s alright. I’ll learns ya!” she teases. “Besides, you look cute in an apron and it’s nice ta have a helper. Get that salt up there for me sweetie? The salt. S.A.L…” she begins jokingly. “Yeah, yeah I get it” Delia says back, reaching up and grabbing the salt, having double checked to make sure it was indeed salt.

She hands it over to Harleen who takes a bit of it and adds it to the sauce. 

“When did you learn how to cook like this Nana?” Delia asks, watching the suddenly spry old woman move about the kitchen. ‘She always seems more alive when she’s cooking’ she thinks. “Well, I suppose it was when I moved out of Gotham for a while. I lived in Metropolis and had ta learn ta do a lot for myself. A lot more than usual” she says with a chuckle. “So, I learned how ta cook, and even got a job at a diner for a while” she says. 

“Hmmm, well your burgers always are the best” she teases. “It’s all in the flip sweetie. All in the flip. And a good pair a’ buns never hurt nobody” she says, causing Delia to slowly begin smiling before she breaks out into chuckles. “Ohh you immature little…” Harleen teases with a chuckle herself. 

“Well, now it’s done!” she says, putting on her oven mitts and placing the tray in the oven and turning it on. “Well, give that an hour or so” she says, taking off the mitts and replacing it on the counter. “I’ll clean up grandma” she says, wiping up with a towel and collecting some of the trash. Suddenly she stops and looks up at her Nana. “Nana Harley...can…” she begins before stopping, not wanting to upset the woman. “What is it munchkin?” she asks. “Well, can you tell me about my mom and dad?” she asks.

Harleen falls silent, looking down at the ground. “I...I always figured you’d ask about that one day” she says, moving towards the table and sitting down. “You don’t have to Nana, I just…”

“No, no, no. A woman deserves ta know where she comes from” Harleen says with a long suffering sigh. “Your father was my son. He was such a happy boy, but it was really just me and him for a long time” she explains. Delia comes over to the table and sits down, reaching across to take her Nana’s hand. “Who was his father?” she asks, hoping that the conversational nature her grandmother had fallen into will keep up.

Harleen turns her hand and squeezes it tightly, closing her eyes and licking her lips in fear. “A very bad man” she says. “I was bad for being with him, but...I was a young dumb girl in love. I didn’t wanna see the worst in the man. He was...gone when your daddy, Thomas was his name, was born. It was for the better sweetie. He wouldn’t have been a good father at all” she says, wiping away some of her tears.

“Anyway, Tommy grew up into a quiet boy. Never had much ta say. Then he, well he went off the rails a bit. Wanted to be a tough guy. Tried to do some...very bad things to make a name for himself”. 

“He met your mother, and boys and girls do what boys and girls do” she says with a chuckle. “You and your sister were inside her for about seven months when Tommy walked into a police station and shot himself” she says. The tears fall freely now, and Delia moves closer, hugging her grandmother. “Your father was very sick. Sick in the head. I have some medical training and I thought I could help him, but...I failed my own baby boy” she explains. “Doctors said it was a birth defect caused by something in the womb” she explains.

“Probably from when his scumbag father threw me around a bit” she fumes, calming as quick as she can. “Nana, it wasn’t your fault” she says. Harleen smiles at her naivete but appreciates it nonetheless. “Sweetie..sometimes, the worst kinds of people? Are the ones that let bad things happen” she explains.

Delia mulls over that and looks away, thinking back over all the times she didn’t say something or speak up when she should’ve. “Ohh don’t take it like that” she says. “That was me priding over you doing the right thing when I didn’t” she says. “My brave little munchkin”. 

“Thanks Nana” she says, allowing the old woman to continue. 

She does, clearing her throat to do so. “Anyway, after that, your mom...well, I tried ta help her” she says. “I was there when ya were born, and I helped swaddle ya, and change ya and do whatever was needed” she says. “Well...after two months, she kinda just...gave up” she says with a sigh and shrug. “She took off and left the two of ya with me” she says. “Ohh, what..what was her name?” she asks. “Samantha”.

“Samantha Bressler” she says before holding her hand up as well, wanting to preempt more questions. “And before ya ask, she died too and in my opinion good riddance” she says, feeling bad for the honesty. “Any woman who woulda’ walked out on you two mewling babes? Didn’t deserve to be a mother” she adds. 

“So, I’m sorry sweetie. There just really isn’t much” she explains. “It was me and grandpa, until grandpa passed. Bless his heart, he was a good man” she says, smiling as she remembers her late husband. “Tell me more about him” Delia asks, wanting to turn the subject to happier times.

“Ohh he was so handsome, though not in the movie star way. More in that, well ya kind of look at a person and there’s something about ‘em” she explains. “He was a cab driver, and I’d catch a ride from him on the way home from the diner where I worked when I came back ta Gotham. I had Tommy with me then, and he’d always be so nice to him, though he was old enough to not care about a male influence anymore. Not any influence really. But he was so sweet ta me!” she says. “He made me smile, and at that point in my life I wanted something ta smile about. So...I smiled for him”.

“It was a slow burn love sweetie that sparked up one day when he looked in the rearview mirror of his cab at me. He just said, and I quote, ‘I must be the first man to fall in love with a woman through a rearview mirror” she says, giggling at the memory.

Delia chuckles and smiles herself, sharing in the woman’s joy. “A month later, we were married. Ohh I was so in love with him. I was Mrs. Henry Dennis” she jokes. “That’s so old sounding” Delia teases, loving her Nana’s traditionalist outlook. “Well, I’m old lookin’, so it fits” she says. “Ohh sweetie. He loved ya and your sister. You were so young when he got sick. Cancer” she explains.

“He told me ta take care of the angels. That’s what he called ya two. His angels” she says. “We could never have babies of our own, so he poured all that excess out into you and ya sister”.

“Angels huh?” Delia asks, causing Harleen to nod. She didn’t want to talk about Deidre much, and Delia respected that. “He’d be so proud of ya sweetie. A beautiful girl, a few mistakes sure, but a good head on the shoulders and a good heart in the chest” she says. 

“I hope one day you meet someone like that sweetie” she says. “Find a guy who...well, ya feel like ya can do anything ‘cuz he has your back and he feels he can do anything ‘cuz you have his. That is one of the best things in life Delia. To feel arms around you, a shoulder open for ya whenever ya need. Even when you’re angry, you would do anything for ‘em. That’s love. Of all the things I coulda’ done in my life, or that I wanted but couldn’t get, lookin’ at ya? I’m the proudest of ya. You make it allllll worth it” she says, looking towards the timer and smiling. 

“You know, we got a half an hour until it’s ready” she says.

“Yeah?” Delia asks, curious about what she was getting at. 

“Well, you hate listening to me ramble, and it would be nice ta have other company, so why don’t you invite handsome over?” she asks. “Nana, come on” Delia teases, wanting to push down the impulsive feelings of happiness at the thought of inviting Terry over. “What? Ya tellin’ me you don’t wanna see him?” she asks, knowing her granddaughter. “I saw him today at work and on the ride to and from” she says.

“Well, might as well see him again then. Invite him over. I wanna know more about...risk management at Wayne Enterprises” she teases. “Pfft, alright but only because you asked me to Nana” she teases, pulling out her phone. She pulls up his number and rings him.

Terry picks up after the second or third ring. “Hey Del, what’s up?” he asks. “Hey McGinnis. Nana Harley wanted me to invite you over. We’re making lasagna. Wants to know more about who her granddaughters boss is” she says faux apathetically. 

“You’re so mean” Harleen mouths to her with a smile.

“So...if you’re not busy or anything, and wouldn’t mind coming over…” she trails off, the laughter from her Nana’s antics winding away. “Uhh, well, let me ask if my mom wanted me to stay for dinner here, but otherwise I’m good to go” he says. “Wayne let me off the hook for a few nights” he says. 

“Ohh really? Hmm, very nice of the old geezer” she says, prompting a glare from Harleen. Delia coughs and quickly clears her throat, wanting to move away from the geezer comment. “Well, go ask your mom then McGinnis” she teases. “Or do you want me to?”

“Ha. Ha. Give me a sec” he says, putting the phone down and shuffling away. The sounds of muffled conversation come through until he returns to the phone. “Well, my brother is out with some friends already, decided to skip dinner, and my mom has to run out to babysit short notice, so looks like my schedule is clear” he says.

Delia smiles brightly and nods. “Fine, fine. Wanna come over?” 

“Sure. Just let me run by Wayne’s real quick. Gotta drop something off” he explains. “Alright, but dinner is in half an hour so don’t be late” she says. “Almost makes me forget whose the boss and whose the employee” he teases. “I’ll be over soon. It’s on the way to your apartment” he says. “See you soon Terry” she says. “You too Del. Bye.”

“Bye” she says, being the last to hang up.

She puts the phone down and smiles. “He’ll be over in a little bit. Just needs to drop something off at Mr. Wayne’s” she says. “Good, good. Get the nice plates downs sweetie. It’s been a while since we’ve had company”.

**_Gotham City, “The Cavern”_ **

The cavern was a long stretch of abandoned buildings under the rising skyline of Neo-Gotham. Mostly brick and mortar, and all decrepit. Only a few businesses remained, and those were being slowly washed away. 

It was perfect for the criminal element.

Three figures move up the street, bats and chains hanging oddly about their bodies, evidence of their desire for violence. In any other city, they’d look out of place, but in Gotham? They were part of its very blood. “Wanna see if Chen’s has any cash in the register?” Coe asks, his jester’s ears flapping as he turns his head side to side. “Nah, Chen’s closed man. Got slagged when the T’s decided to hit Smiley and his crew” Bonk says, the mammoth Joker towering over the other two.

The leader, Scab, doesn’t say anything, a wicked smile curving his face as he looks out over the territory he’d inherited. Ever since J-man and his crew had been taken down and gone to Blackgate, he was the last man standing. The GCPD hit a bunch of other crews after the robbery, but up until that point graffiti had been their worst offense. 

He was in charge now, and he wanted to flex his muscle. Lording it over the others and screwing some of the chicks had been enough...until now. Now? He wanted to make it big. “You guys gotta think bigger than Chen’s man” Scab says, turning to stop in front of his two compatriots, his oldest “friends”.

The term was loose. Especially in Joker circles. 

“Well, ain’t exactly much we can do man” Coe protests. “We take a step out and do something, start making moves, and Gordon will be on our asses in no time” he says. “Pfft, fuck Gordon, and frag the pigs!” he says. “We need to do something. It’s pathetic. Us being Jokerz and being afraid of the cops” he says.

“How very astute my costumed friend” a voice says from behind them, and all three turn to see a man, standing in the shadows. “Hey, big words. Means big cash” Scab says, drawing his switchblade. “Wanna make it easy and hand it over?” he asks, coming closer. “Ohh no, no, no, no….how boring” he says, reaching out with something in his hand. “Papa has much better toys for his newest band of proteges!” he says, showcasing the ball with a smiley face on it.

Scab and Coe share a look, both agitated by the man already. “Listen, we don’t got time for dumb shit. You know who we are?” he asks, wondering if there was an outsider in their town. “Ohh yes. You see, I am you. In many ways, I’m your poor lost old daddy!” he says. With a quick movement he throws his hand out and the ball goes across the street, bouncing into a run down deli. In a second it explodes, the explosion bursting out and rocketing into the night air. 

“Ohh...schway!” Coe says, always having been a pyrotechnic. 

“What the hell? Who are you?” Scab asks, looking back towards the man who was still obscured by shadow. He begins to step forward, and the first thing that is seen is the wicked smile on his lips. His whole face is exposed and the three thugs gasp. “Who do you think?” asks the Joker, his hands behind his back.

The three men keep looking, utterly shocked at the turn of events. “H..how? You’re dead” Bonk says, refusing to believe it. “Ohh my dear boy! I’m not dead. Ideas can’t die. You three yutzes are proof of that” he says with a scowl. It’s replaced by a smile as quickly as possible though, the sound of police sirens rising into the air. “Now boys, it might be a little dangerous to stay out here, especially for an old man like me” he says, patting the chest of his black sweater. “So how about we go home. Settle in for a bit and talk” he teases.

Scab looks at the other two before looking back at the Joker, wondering if any of this was real. He looks back at the explosion and makes his decision. “Anyone who can make things go boom like that is an amigo of mine” he says. “This way” he points, gesturing towards the alley that led to the sewers.

“Ohh, the old sewer system huh? Tacky but smart. Wonder if Croc is still lumbering about” Joker laughs, rushing after the three. ‘Pretty fast for a guy his age’ Coe thinks to himself. “Well, Gordon has been difficult lately” Scab explains. “Ohh, commish Gordon? I’m assuming not Jimbo, so...hmmm...has to be his little girl nowadays huh? Gotta be it! Anywho, we’ll be seeing her soon enough and making her laugh all the more! I can’t wait to see Gotham again!” he shouts out, causing the other three to smile.

‘We found something that’ll turn alla this around” Scab thinks.

**_Harleen Dennis Apartment_ **

“So this guy took Matt. I had no idea how to get him back or what to do. Called the police and everything, but, well it is Gotham. I respect the commish, but the others? Not so much. Anyways, all of the sudden, Batman shows up” Terry says, having been busy relaying the story since Harleen asked about his family. 

“Ohh geez, well, the guy is handy. Glad another person stepped up to the plate” she says, remembering her own time with the Batman. “He saved Matt. All I can say” Terry replies with a shrug, taking a sip of his water. Harleen seems lost in her thoughts. “I wonder what happened to the first one” she says. “Don’t get me wrong, the old one? Ohh lala he was the bees knees. But as handsome as he is nowadays, ain’t no way he’s still that ripped and flexible”.

Terry holds it in, wanting to laugh at the thought of just what became of the “first batman”. 

“Well, maybe he just retired” he says.

  
“Would shock me if that was so” Harleen says, taking a sip of her own tea. “He neva seemed the retiring type” she explains. Delia smirks and leans forward, catching onto something that she found interesting. “Sounds like you have personal experience Nana” she teases. “Did you ever get saved by the Batman? Developed a little crush?” she asks. Harleen turns bright red and looks away. “Nah, I never met him. But every woman in Gotham had a crush on tall dark and handsome” she explains, not exactly convincing her granddaughter.

Harleen turns back and smirks at Delia, pointing towards the young girl. “What about you? What does the current generation of young ladies think about Gotham city’s most eligible bachelor...maybe. Ain’t no Batgirl is there?” she teases.

Delia thinks back on the few encounters she had with Batman, the last time she had seen him being when she turned on the gang and stood, even though it was more fluid as a situation then, with him. 

“Well, I guess a lot of girls like him” she says. “He’s okay. I didn’t see it before...I don’t wanna be hypocritical. So, I guess I’ll just say that I’m in the pro Batman camp now” she says. Terry turns and smiles lightly at her. “What? You a batman superfan or something?” she asks teasingly, poking the man in the side. “Nah, my brother loves him though. Matt thinks he “rips”, and yeah, that’s the exact word he uses” he says.

“Well I wouldn’t go that far” Delia says. “He isn’t a Superman” she says.

“Pfft, Supes? Sure, he’s cute and all, but he don’t see the world as it is” Harleen says. “All those powers and barely uses half of ‘em. Who needs a man of steel when you have a dark knight?” she says. “But, you wouldn’t do bad settling for Mr. Risk Management” Harleen teases. “Nana” Delia warns. “Considering the spray bottle more and more” she says.

“You’ll hope you’re as feisty as me at your age dear” she says, looking back towards Terry. “It’s been so amazing having ya here Terry. You’re such a nice boy, letting an old lady talk and talk and talk” she says. “You’re also pretty funny. Always a plus in a guy”.

“Well thanks” Terry says, enjoying the company of the older woman as well. 

She stands up, beginning to shuffle towards the sink with plates until Terry stops her. “Here, let me” he says. She swats his hand away though, smirking at him. “You and Delia gotta learn that I ain’t gonna break cuz ‘a some manual labor. In fact, it’s good for my old bones. How about you and Delia go in the living room. See what’s on tv, talk or splice your genes or whatever it is that young people do nowadays” she teases.

“She means it McGinnis” Delia says. “She’ll get upset if you don’t let her. Let’s go” she says, gesturing towards the living room. Terry follows her, feeling bad about not cleaning up but feeling less so as Harleen takes to the dishes with gusto. “It’s only three plates handsome” she says, without even looking over her shoulder. “And a few forks. Don’t ya worry about it” she says. 

“Well, call us if you need something” he says.

“Ohh any chance for more of your company, I’ll assuredly take it sweetie” she says. “Now shoo. Go be young”.

Without another word he enters into the living room, admiring all the random nick knacks that were hanging along the wall. Pictures of a young Harleen, smiling with glasses and a medical coat. “Hmm” he says, studying the picture, finding something familiar about it. He looks up to see a group of letter over a wrought iron gate, a sign of some sort. “Ark…” he begins.

“Hey, everything alright?” Delia asks, sitting in the alcove of the window, looking out over the city. The thoughts slip out of Terry’s mind, moving back towards the girl and joining her on the alcove. “Yeah, yeah. Was just a little shocked. Your grandmother looked alot like you” he says. “Especially with that bun in your hair” he teases. She swats him on the shoulder, clucking disapprovingly. “Just put it up like that to cook” she defends herself, turning out to look at the city. 

“This is going to sound weird but….I love this city” she says. Terry can just nod in agreement, their feet pressed together as they take up their respective sides. “Not weird. I like it too. It’s dirty, crime ridden and depressing, but it has a lot of charm to it” he says, looking at her and smiling. She catches his gaze and blushes, looking away again. 

“I never really took time to appreciate it” she says. “Especially the view we have right here. Never spent much time here. Always out and about. I like just relaxing. Who would’ve thought that I would be a homebody” she says.

“Well, it’s good if you stay that way for a little while” he says. “So you don’t get in trouble” he teases.

“A girl is liable to get bored, McGinnis” she chastises. “Well, I can help allay the boredom, at least as much as I can” he says. “Well, maybe that would be alright. At least until I make some cooler friends and trade up” she teases, pushing his shoulder to make sure that he knew she was being sarcastic. “Pfft, as if you could find a better friend than me” he says.

The smile remains but something about Delia’s face gives away the fact that he’d said something. “Yeah, you’re right” she says with a chuckle. “I don’t know how much you know about the crew I used to run with?” she asks.

Of course Terry knew. He knew everything about every one of them, but he still kept his mouth shut. “No. Don’t know much” he says. 

“J-man was our leader. Pervert. Always trying to get into my pants. Probably got into Deidre’s but the sick bastard wanted us both maybe. Collect the entire set you know?” she teases. “Met him when I was thirteen. Him and Chucko. A loser who just tagged along. Deirdre introduced us and from then on out we all rolled together. Ghoul was a computer nerd who wanted to be cool. We let him in. Woof? Well, he was a pet we picked up. Don’t know much about him other than that he liked to eat jerky. Or...rats believe it or not” she says shuddering.

Terry listens, smirking at her joke.    
  
“We weren’t really friends. There wasn’t any real warmth there. We were just a group of dregs who hung out together to make us look strong” she says, splaying out her arms and showing off her stringy biceps. “I’m real scared” he teases. “You should be McGinnis” she says with a challenging smile. “I’m tougher than I look. Maybe we’ll wrestle sometime” she says.

Terry just rolls his eyes, knowing that she indeed was tougher than she looked. He’d gotten punched, kicked or hit more times than once by the girl, and she packed a punch. Still, she was never too much of a threat without her sister. ‘Maybe you could teach her a few things’ he thinks. ‘For self defense’ he corrects. 

“I’ll take you up on that” he says, wanting her to continue. She does, looking out over the city. “We never did these kind of things” she says. “Just hanging out without any thoughts of violence and mayhem on our minds. We didn’t know each other’s birthdays, or go out to the movies or anything. Hell, Nana never even met them, which I’m thankful for nowadays” she says. 

“Never even talked to Deidre about important things. We didn’t talk about boys and our parents or anything. Sure we looked out for each other but I wonder how much of that was just for show. I mean...it wasn’t a show, on my part I mean, but she was always pretty dismissive of me. I’ve always felt so lonely” she says.

“So thanks” she mutters under her breath, as if she was afraid of being heard.

“For what?” Terry asks, having responded and heard nonetheless. 

“For being a friend. A real friend” she says. “We’ve only known each other for a few weeks Del” he says. “So you’re saying you don’t see us as friends?” she asks, half seriously, as if she was afraid of being turned down as his friend. “Not at all” he says, calming her fears. “I see you as a very good friend. Even if you can’t make a good cup of coffee” he says, teasing her over another incident in the office.

“Pfft” she sounds out, clicking her tongue. 

She goes silent, smiling as she looks down at their feet. “So, don’t turn into a dreg alright? Because...well, it’s nice having someone to talk too. I love Nana to death, but sometimes she goes a little off tangent” she says.    
  
“I get it” he says, not really understanding it. ‘Only old guy I talk to is laser focused. I hate that sometimes’ he thinks. He looks at the clock and sighs. “It’s getting late” he says with a sigh. “Well we have off tomorrow so it’s not a big deal if you stay a little longer” she says, her back hurting as she leans against the wall. “Scoot back” she says, turning around and pressing her back into his front and snuggling in.

“Don’t get any ideas McGinnis” she teases. “You’re just cozier than the wall” she says.

Terry wants to protest, his mouth opening and closing multiple times before he shrugs and decided to go along with it. It was cozy, watching the lights of the city flicker on and off and the sounds of traffic going this way and that. 

“I love Gotham” she reiterates. “In all her dirty glory”.


	4. Chapter 4

**_The Next Morning_ **

She was warm and comfortable, even though from her position she knew she wasn’t in her bed. She didn’t quite care at the moment though, and only pushed her face further into the soft fabric that smelled so good. “Hrrrm” she moans, smiling. She wakes up even further when she feels breathe on the top of her head, mingling into her hair.

With tired eyes she looks up and goes wide eyed at seeing Terry above her. She takes further stock of the situation and realizes that she was laying against him and that he had his arms around her. They were both covered by a blanket, of which she was already aware of who had put it there.

She calms down and shakes her head, still feeling rather tired. Without another thought she puts her head back down on Terry’s chest, laying against the fabric of his black shirt. She is just about to close her eyes when she sees Harleen sitting in a chair across from them, sipping on a cup of tea.

“Nana!” she jumps, having been frightened by the woman’s almost sudden appearance. “What?” she asks jokingly, laughing to herself. “You scared me I guess” she says, sitting up and causing Terry to wake up as well, though he was much less graceful than hers had been. “Whaaa…” he asks, slowly waking up, Delia still gripping onto him until he notices and she lets go to rub her head.

“You slept here last night McGinnis, which means you owe Nana some rent money” she teases, wanting to distract herself from how cozy she had been. She could already see the look on Harleen’s face that promised a massive amount of teasing. 

“I’ll add it to your paycheck” he teases, noticing the blanket before looking at the older woman. “I came in and you two looked so cozy” she says. “So I put a blanket over ya. You must be a good pillow Terry” she says, looking towards Delia. “My granddaughter was smiling and cooing. Pleasant dreams dear?” she asks.

“No” Delia responds, a little too quickly which belays the fact that she indeed was having a good dream. Terry meanwhile was checking his phone. “Ohh crud” he says, dialing a number on it as quickly as possible. “What’s wrong?” Delia asks while he was still on the ring tone. “Didn’t call my mom” he explains. “Pfft, you’re twenty years old” Delia says, as if that explained everything. 

“Try telling her that” he says with a smirk before the woman picks up, and from the sound on the other end of the line already talking. “Yeah, sorry mom. I was slammed last night and wound up sleeping over at Delia’s. Yeah, everything’s fine...mom...mom...no, no, it’s not like that” he says, the last part whispered as he blushes a bit and holds up a finger, gesturing for the two women to give him a moment. He walks into the kitchen, trying to hide his conversation, leaving Harleen and her granddaughter alone.

“Have a comfy sleep?” she asks.

“Yeah” Delia says, standing up and moving out of the alcove. “Surprised that I didn’t wake up” she says. “Uhhm. Anyway, breakfast is on the table if you and Terry wanna help yourselves” she says with a smile, gesturing with her hand towards the kitchen. “I’ll tell him. Wanna join us nana?” she asks. 

“I already ate sweetie”.

“Doesn’t matter. Come and join us” she insists.

“Well, if you don’t think I’m butting in” Harleen says, standing up and shuffling towards the kitchen. Both women stop and wait until the conversation stops and Terry sighs, leaning against the sink. “That could’ve gone better” he says with a slight smile. “She’s not too mad is she?” Delia asks, her eyes already shuffling onto the eggs and bacon that were on the table. “Only as bad as usual” he says, looking over as well. “But, I’m alright. Not on probation like you” he says. 

“Pffft, I’m gonna get you in trouble McGinnis. Just for that remark” she teases.

“Yeah, yeah, this one is a real troublemaker. Ignore her Terry, all bark no bite. Come sit down and eat will ya? It’s getting cold” she says bossily. Terry puts his hands up in mock surrender, taking a seat besides Del. “That isn’t true you know” she whispers. “My bite is worse”.

“Ohhh, so scared” he says, the two having gotten over their embarrassment at being caught cuddling up. In fact, they felt it seemed a little natural and didn’t want to think over it too hard,

“You need to learn T, that I’m the scariest thing in your life”.

“Hey, lets stop with the urinatin’ contest huh?” Harleen teases. “I don’t like it, even if you two are teasin’ each other” Harleen says, sitting down to take her pills. Delia and Terry are both shocked at the sheer volume of them, and cast a look at each other, a comment on Del’s lips already. “Now that don’t mean you two gang up on me. It ain’t sportin, an old lady” she chastises, clicking her tongue. “You have all of your smarts, and me? My brain fulla’ cobwebs. Shame on the two of ya!” she continues on.

“Alright Nana, alright” Delia says, chuckling. “We’ll leave you alone about that pharmacy worth of pills you gotta take” she says, enjoying getting even with the woman who’d been teasing her so much. She turns to wink at Terry, looking back at Harleen. “Don’t forget the purple one that stops you from farting” she says, causing Terry to almost spit out his orange juice, barely able to contain his laughter.

Harleen glares at Delia who looks at her instantly. “What? Just trying to help you” she says.

“Very funny munchkin. I’d be mad at you if it weren’t my fault. Ya smart mouth” she says, Terry not saying a word as he picks up some eggs from his plate with his fork. “You’ll get old too handsome, and it’ll be worse for you” she teases. “Bald head and liver spots” she says. “I hope not. If that’s all there is to look forward to I might quit now”.

“And you young lady” she says. “I hope ya wind up just as small and grey and wrinkled as me” she says.

“Eh, not too bad” Delia says, closing her eyes while enjoying the taste of the bacon in her mouth. “At least I’ll be able to cook then” she says. “You? Neva’” she teases.

Their happiness is interrupted by the sound of Terry’s cell phone ringing. “Sorry, give me a sec” he says, picking it up and moving away from the table. “Hello?” he asks. “Ohh, Mr. Wayne. Yeah, how can I help you?” he asks.

Bruce was sitting in his office, the very aged picture of his parents hanging behind him. “Terry, I need you to head over to Gordon. I have a bag that needs to be brought over to her. A few...sensitive documents” he says, wary that others were around his protege at the moment. “Ohh” Terry says, bringing the phone in closer, curious as to what he had to deliver to the commissioner. It was made clear to both of them when he’d started out as Batman that he wouldn’t enjoy the benefits of GCPD assistance in anywhere near the same capacity that Bruce had. 

‘Fine with that’ Terry had thought at the time, seeing the GCPD as nothing more than a corrupt organization. His opinion hadn’t shifted….much. He’d thought that Bruce was in agreement. ‘Wonder what’s going on to change the old man’s mind’ he thinks, a little befuddled. 

“Do I sense reluctance?” Bruce asks, the same hard tone in his voice he reserved for when Terry was particularly against something.

“No, no, all fine here. Just curious I guess” he says.

“A good trait to have” Bruce replies, softening a bit. Dealing with any of his former partners always put him in a sour mood. “She needs to see something I found” he says, not saying anything further. Terry is silent, waiting for an explanation he knew wouldn’t be coming. “Alright, so, I guess I’ll head over in a little while and get it, and then to the commish” he says. “Ohh, have you made any progress on the...well, the thing?” he asks, drawing a quirked eyebrow and questioning look from Delia, who was luckily more engrossed in her breakfast to care too much about his conversation. 

“Get to it as soon as you can McGinnis” he says before hanging up, ending the conversation in his usually tactless way.    
  
Terry pulls the phone away from his ear and looks at it distastefully. “Goodbye to you too” he says, having only moderately gotten used to the man’s bluntness. He sighs and turns around, facing the two woman who look at him expectantly. “Well, I’m this close to being in the dog house with my mom, and I must’ve gotten Mr. Wayne angry at me too” he explains. “I have to bring something to...an old friend of his” he explains, trying to coach the man’s former relationship with Barbara Gordon.

“Ohh, mind if I tag with?” Delia asks, standing up and taking her now empty plate to the dishwasher, placing it besides her utensils and allowing the automatic door to close on it, commencing the cycle. “Well, I guess if you want and it’s alright with your grandma” he says, not seeing any reason to not include the young woman. 

“Nana…” she begins, turning towards the woman.

“I already told ya” she preempts. “You can go out as long as it’s with Terry. And it seems that this is a thing for Mr. Wayne, so it might be good for ya to do a little go getting slash brown nosing” she says. “Trust me, the last thing Wayne likes is brown nosing” Terry interjects. “Me on the other hand, I enjoy it” he smirks. 

“As if I’ll ever suck up to you McGinnis” she says. “You gotta be important before you deserve my brown nosing” she adds. “Ouch, Delia. Ouch” he says, looking for his coat and finding it on the wall. “Well, whenever you’re ready to go Delia” he says, looking towards Harleen. 

“Thanks for everything Mrs. H” he says. She waves him off, having enjoyed his visit immensely. “Anytime Terry. Please, do come again” she says. “Though, I think Delia will make sure you become a fixture around here” she says, taking her coffee cup up once again. 

Delia hadn’t heard but comes back, wearing her own jacket over the blue armless top she wore. “What?” she asks. “Nothing, just seems like you’re copying me” he says. “What, because I’m wearing a jacket? Get over yourself McGinnis. I ain’t copying you. Unless you’re wearing panties” she teases. Terry rolls his eyes and opens the door. “Alright, point taken, just get downstairs and in the car. I’m your boss and that’s an oder” he says. 

“See how he bosses me around nana? He’s so mean” Delia jokes, leaning down to kiss Harleen’s cheek. “I’ll be back soon. If you need anything just call me” she says, walking out the door. Terry gives one final wave and Harleen shouts out, “same here munchkin!” before the door closes behind them. 

Harleen smirks to herself, enjoying their banter more than she let on. She takes another sip of her coffee, putting the mug down back on the table before chuckling to herself, shaking her head. “Well Henry” she says, looking towards the picture on the wall of her late husband. 

“What do ya think sweetie?” she asks, listening to the silence and pretending that she could feel her husband’s hands on her shoulders and his words in her ears. She closes her eyes and nods. “Yeah, I like him too” she says to the empty room.

**_Wayne Manor_ **

“Ohh, big place” she says, looking up at the large house on the hill, the car having pulled up the gate. “Also, why does Wayne just let you use his car all the time?” she asks as Terry presses the remote button that opens the wrought iron gate. “Well, it’s not like he drives, and I just drive him wherever he needs so when he needs me he calls me” he says.

Delia looks at him, a smile splitting her face. “What?”   
  


“Ohh nothing, just thinking about all the perks of being the bosses favorite” she teases, leaning over to slap his shoulder. “Maybe I’ll take your place” she says. “Become his favorite, then he’ll give me the car and you’ll have to ask me for rides” she says.

“That’ll be the day” he says. 

“It would be easy. Like I said, men are chumps. All I need to do is smile at him a bit and work my charm. I’ll be in your office within a month and you’ll be my secretary” she says. “Well, I can just say that you’re all wrong on Mr. Wayne” he says. “This guy? He doesn’t fall for a pretty face and nice legs, at least not anymore I would think” he says, his mind going back to all the photos he’d seen of women Bruce had been with over the years. 

“Besides, you’re out of your league” he teases. “The type of women he’s had? Well, I’ll keep it P.G” he says, drawing a tsk and a much harder punch this time. “Owww” he says, rubbing his shoulder and looking over at the now pouting and fuming girl. “Aww, come on, don’t take it like that” he says. 

“I’ll take it how I want McGinnis” she says. “And I want an apology” she says.

“Alright, alright” he says, pulling the car up into the circular driveway. “You’re a very pretty girl, you’re pretty funny, a good friend and you make a pretty schway blanket” he says, referencing the previous night. “You’re getting closer” she says, her arms still crossed over her chest, but her frown remaining. Terry sighs and looks up at the ceiling of the car. “You have beautiful hair, your smile is...pretty schway, you annoy the hell out of me so much that in a weird masochistic way I enjoy it and you know you’re beautiful and that I was joking so this whole thing was a waste of time…” he says, the realization having dawned on him slowly.

Delia smiles and turns to Terry, reaching out to pat him on the cheek. “Told you that men were chump. I put on a frown, crossed my arms under my tits to show them off and you fell over yourself like a chimp to make me happy” she says. “I’ll train you McGinnis. Welcome to the Delia Dennis finishing school. Population? You” she says, opening the door and stepping out, looking around the grounds curiously. 

Terry laughs to himself and gets out, watching as the door to the manor opens up and a familiar black shape comes barreling out of the hose. “Ohh no, Del get…” he begins before realizing that it was too late. Ace pounces at the young woman, who doesn’t even have enough time to scream before she is knocked down onto the ground by the great dane. 

“Del” Terry shouts, rushing around the car to pull the canine off the girl. He comes around the car and encounters a sight that shocks him. Ace was busy licking Del’s face happily, his tail wagging more than he’d ever seen. “Ohh puppy” Del says, getting into it as she pets the animal’s head. “You’re a big boy! But so good! So good!” she teases, reaching down to scratch the animals belly. Ace falls onto his side, allowing the blonde to get up from the ground and have more access to his side. His tongue lolls out in happiness, and Terry feels as if he was seeing something that was impossible.

“What?” Delia asks, looking up at Terry while rubbing Ace’s belly. “Nothing it’s just...that dog wanted to kill me when he first met me. Took a while to warm up to me” he says, a little jealous as he looks away and puts his hands in his pocket. “Aww this big softie? Nahhh, I don’t believe him, no i don’t” she says to Ace. 

Terry looks up to see Bruce, also looking askance at the dog and Delia’s antics. “This is new” he says to himself, watching as Ace gets up at hearing his voice. The dog still looks toward Delia, it’s mouth open and tail wagging before it moves back towards Bruce. “He’s a good dog” Delia says with a smile, brushing off her pant legs.    
  
“Usually” Bruce says, a wry smile on his face as he reaches down to rub Ace’s dark ears. He turns and looks at Terry. “You didn’t tell me you were bringing Delia along” he says. “Yeah, well, she wanted to come” he says, not wanting to have this conversation, especially not in front of Delia. 

Bruce sense this and doesn’t say anything else, but the hardness of his eyes promise that the conversation will come. 

“Come in” he says, opening the door into the dark gaping maw that was Wayne manor. He advances into the home, disappearing into the stygian blackness as Del saddles up besides Terry. “Nice dog” she says. “Yeah” he replies sullenly, this day not going well already. ‘Damn, he’s peeved’ he thinks.

“Aww, are you jealous of how much I like Ace?” she teases, elbowing his side. “I’m not jealous. Just shocked he warmed up to you so quick” he says, moving up the stairs and waiting outside of the door to allow Delia to enter first. 

“Awww, well, I’ll rub your belly later McGinnis. You’ll have me all to yourself then” she teases with a wink and a pat on his midsection before moving into the house. Terry smiles and rolls his eyes, following her and closing the door.

‘Maybe she’s right’ he says, watching as she walks away, following Wayne into the office. He paid special attention to the sway of her hips. ‘Maybe I am a chump’ he thinks. 

He pushes those thoughts away and follows the sounds of the cane. It brings him into Wayne’s office, where Bruce was already sitting behind his desk, a duffle bag on the surface. Delia was looking about the room, mostly silent as she commented on a few things here and there. Wayne just nodded and grunted in response, looking at Terry as the young man enters. “So, what did you want me to bring...where you wanted me to bring it” he says tepidly. Bruce gestures at the duffle bag. “Just bring this to GCPD McGinnis” he says, hoping that Delia was as airheaded as her former criminal persona led them to believe. 

“Woah, if you don’t mind me asking Mr. Wayne, why would you have to give something to the pi..I mean, the cops” she says, correcting herself. Bruce hears the faux paus, but he doesn’t say anything, looking towards Terry who only returns a helpless shrug. “Well, Mrs. Dennis” he says, lacing his fingers together. “Wayne Enterprises assists in crime prevention in any way it can” he says. “As you know, Wayne Enterprises has numerous properties around the city, and these properties have security cameras. I am just delivering the collected footage that I think could help them” he explains.

“Soooo...you’re spying on Gotham and its citizens?” she asks.

“Not at all” he explains, a winning smile on his face. “I’m just protecting my assets and providing GCPD with a leg up in crime prevention. Many cases have been solved through Wayne Enterprises assistance” he explains.

Delia nods, though she still looks somewhat suspicious. “And why exactly do you gather it all up, and why does Terry have to deliver it?” she asks.    
  
“I like to remain hands on in at least some aspects of my company” he explains as if the answer was simple. “This is the easiest for me to do so with. I have all footage sent to me, I view what may be interesting, cut it together, and send Terry to deliver whatever it is. Most of the time it’s useless, but I have friends in the department who humor an old man” he says.

Delia continues to watch him, not exactly buying his story but having to acquiesce in how easily it had been explained to her. “Alright” she says simply, crossing her arms over her chest, her entire body language making it clear that she didn’t exactly believe him. 

Bruce ignores that, looking towards Terry and gesturing to the bag. Without another word the younger man takes the bag and looks toward the door. “Well, I guess we should go then” Terry says, looking towards the man who regarded him with discontent. “Hmmm” he says.

“Well, come on Del” he says, gesturing for the woman to follow him. “Bye Mr. Wayne” Delia says cheerfully. “Have a nice day” she says before walking out of the door into the hallway. Ace gets up from his laying down position on the floor, making to go after her, but a look from Bruce stops him, and Ace lowers himself sadly back onto the floor. 

“Goodbye Mrs. Dennis” he says.

**_Back in the Car_ **

“Come on” she says, moving closer to Terry. “You’re telling me that you don’t think he’s hiding something?” she asks. The conversation was hitting too close to home, and part of him hated how much Delia had already seen. 

“Well, if he is don’t you think it’s his business?” he retorts.

“Pfft, don’t play boy scout with me McGinnis” she says. “I know you wanna know what it is he’s hiding. Unlesssss…” she teases, looking at him with slitted eyes. “What?” he asks. “Unless you’re already in on it” she says, causing a cold shiver to move up Terry’s spine. “Wha…” he begins, unable to think on his feet quite like Bruce was. 

She begins laughing hysterically, holding her stomach while she is in the seat. “Ohh god, your face!” she laughs hysterically. He feels a little embarrassed but chokes it down as quick as possible. “Relax McGinnis” she teases. “You’re waaaaaaay to straitlaced to be in on something nefarious” she says. 

  
“Yeah” Terry says with a smirk, enjoying having a secretive one up on the girl. “Besides, if you did, I could get it out of you” she says. “If you did, I mean” she clarifies. “Ohh?” Terry asks, pulling out of the driveway. 

“Uhhmm. By the way, enjoy looking at my butt there Mr. McGinnis?” she asks. “Pfft, sure. It’s a nice butt” he says, just glad to be out of her spotlights in regards to the possibility or him or Wayne having a secret. “It’s going to be super easy to get you wrapped around my finger McGinnis” she says. “I might be more challenging than you think” he says. “Makes it all the more fun” she says. “But anyways, lets go get this to Gordon” she says. 

**_GCPD_ **

Barbara Gordon was tired. Beyond tired. 

‘Nothing is going right’ she thinks, looking out over the city that was barely keeping from boiling over. So far, it had been small, but the signs were there. ‘Something is coming, but what the hell is it?’ she asks herself for the eight time that hour.

Explosions, murders, kidnappings and rapes. All happening without rhyme or reason, and all having a distinctive trademark. She wanted to chalk it up to coincidence, convince herself that everything would go back to normal and that this was just the aftershocks of the Jokerz leadership taking the hit that it did. But no, she knew that it wasn’t and she knew that pushing it away wasn’t going to save anyone’s lives. 

‘That’s why you asked for his help’ she thinks, still feeling as if she had made a deal with the devil. A knock on the door interrupts her, and she looks up, sighing to herself. “Come in” she shouts out, finding herself not at all surprised by the fact that Terry McGinnis walked in. 

“Afternoon commish” he says good naturedly, a woman following him in. ‘Now, this is a little different’ she thinks to herself. “McGinnis” she says, her eyes moving over towards the blonde. “Whose this?” she asks, feeling that she had seen her before. “Ohh, Delia Dennis. Employee of Wayne Enterprises” he says before adding, “and a friend of mine”. 

“Hmm” Barbara says, looking intently at the girl who smiles back and offers her her hand. “Nice to meet you commissioner” she says. Barbara reaches out and takes the offered hand, not wanting to be rude. “I’m normally not in the habit of playing nice with hardened criminals” she says, causing Delia to go wide eyed. 

“And you still aren’t” Terry interjects, fiercely coming to Delia’s defence.

Gordon drops the girl’s hand and looks at the dark haired man who crosses his arms over his chest, refusing to back down. ‘Yeah, I’ve seen worse batglares than from you’ he thinks, not being fearful of the woman who had been less than helpful during his career. Had even been a hindrance. 

‘I’ll never forget the Mad Stan incident’ he thinks, remembering how she had fallen for Spellbinder’s illusion and believed that he had killed the terrorist Mad Stan. The entire GCPD had been brought down on him, and even Bruce had doubted him for a time. He was able to prove his innocence, though only with Bruce’s help. Gordon hadn’t even apologized. She’d just walked away and reiterated her desire to keep out of the business of the Batman, and for him to walk directly on the line.

Barbara backs down and nods. “Heard you’d gotten off pretty easy” Gordon says, sitting down in her chair and continuing to appraise the girl. “Maybe” Delia says, now refusing to back down as well as she returns the woman’s glare. ‘Hmm, tough case’ Barbara thinks to herself. “You saved a little girl and her mom. Good for you. They wouldn’t have even been in that situation if it wasn’t for you” she says. Delia nods. “That’s right” she says. “And I’ll spend the rest of my life regretting it. I promised people a lot more important than you that I’d make it up somehow, and I personally think you and your whole force are dregs so I’m not going to waste another promise on you” Delia defends herself.

Barbara is fuming, but manages to hold it in, while Terry places his hand on Delia’s back, trying to calm her as best as he can. “Alright, you got guts” Gordon says finally. “Just watch yourself, or I’ll throw you under the cube” she says, referencing the dreaded maximum security prison in which only the worst of Gotham’s criminals were imprisoned.

“Don’t you have a crime spree to stop?” Delia responds, not wanting to take her insults. 

“Well commish, Mr. Wayne asked me to bring you this” Terry says, sliding the bag onto the desk and taking the time to intervene before it got out of hand. Barbara turns her attention to Terry, looking at the duffle bag and already knowing what was inside. “Ahh, alright. Thanks” she says, not wanting to say anything more in due to Delia’s presence. ‘Don’t wanna remember how I had to ask Bruce for help again’ she adds.

“That all?” she asks.

“As far as I know” he says.

“Good, then please leave” she says abruptly. Terry shrugs and turns to Delia, gesturing that they should follow the commissioners order’s. She scowls but listens, moving towards the door besides Terry.

“And McGinnis” Gordon says from the desk. Terry stops and looks over his shoulder, waiting for the older woman to go on. “Watch yourself with her” she warns. Terry says nothing, remaining stoic before he turns and walks out of her office, the door closing, but not before Delia flashes the commissioner the middle finger.

Barbara scowls at that but says nothing else, wanting to get back to real police work. ‘Damn vigilantes’.

**_Outside_ **

“What a bitch”

“She kind of grows on you” Terry says in response to the irate girl. His voice lacked conviction though. ‘Yeah, like mold’.

“Pfft, hope I’m not around her anymore so she doesn’t have a chance’. Terry looks over at her, noting the bad mood. “So, what was it in particular she said that set you off?”

“She practically called me a criminal!” Delia shouts, moving back into her seat and looking out the window. “Well, you gotta look at it from the commish’s viewpoint” he begins to explain, moving carefully as if he was on thin ice. “You have to earn a person like her’s trust. And it doesn’t come easy. Especially not with her being in charge of the whole city”.

“Whatever”.

“She’s a bit like Wayne in that way” he says with a smile. “What? Not giving when it comes to trust?” she asks acidicly. 

“No” Terry retorts. “Old, cranky and overworked”.

Delia smiles, the curvature of her lips spreading slowly until she’s laughing uproariously. Terry joins in quick enough, keeping his eye on the raised platform that served as Gotham’s elevated highway. “Sorry T. I guess...just in a bad mood is all”.

“It’s alright” he says, waving off her apology. “Being looked down on for the past isn’t a scway feeling”.

“No...but...there’s more than that” she says.

“Ohh? Enlighten me then”.

“I...miss it sometimes” she admits. “The thrill of it I guess the most. I was around other people like me, doing similar things. Sure it wasn’t good. They weren’t friends, just accomplices, but still. I felt like I belonged to something and was part of a group. I felt powerful too. Like I was an important aspect of the gang”.

Terry listens, wanting to let her get it all out and trying to think of something to say in response. “And then, with me missing it and Gordon calling me a criminal..I’m just worried about...what if she’s right?” she asks, seeming vulnerable as she turns and looks towards the man.

“What if all I can ever do is be a thug? I promised Nana Harleen that I wouldn’t slag it up again, and I hate the thought of hurting her or letting her down, but there’s more to it now”.

“What else is different from before?” 

Delia remains silent, biting her lip and looking at the passing skyscrapers. “You can tell me”.

This seems to urge her on and she turns, nodding at him. “That’s the problem McGinnis” she explains. “I can tell you anything”. The words don’t register with Terry who doesn’t know what to make of them. He doesn’t have a chance to fully extrapolate their meaning either as Delia has more to say. 

“There’s you now Terry” she says, running her hands up and down her arms in nervousness. “You know I’ve never had someone outside of Nana or Deidre who cared about me. Now? There’s you. Some rando who I’ve never met before, hanging out with me, talking with me and bringing me on errands that are at least entertaining”.

She smiles at him, a shy tepid little smile. “I mean, so far, working for Wayne doesn’t rip like half the city probably thinks it does. But it isn’t exactly the pits either, and that’s probably because of you”.

“....Thanks” Terry says, not exactly sure how to respond to that particular sentiment, but he had an idea on how he could counter the other one. “I guess what you’re missing is more the social interaction” he says, piquing Delia’s interest. “You probably need a bit more than me. So, how about this? I have a few friends I’ve been...neglecting, from time to time. I can introduce you to them so I feel a little less bad about it, and you can meet some other people to bond with”.

Delia is quiet for a moment, but she eventually nods, giving the man her assent. “I’m awkward at first with people” she says. “Just pretend you’re going to rob them and it’ll be fine”.

Delia’s reaction is swift and vicious, reaching out to punch Terry’s shoulder. “Owww” he says, taking one hand off of the wheel to reach out and rub his now sore shoulder. “You’re a twip McGinnis”.

The fake scowl softens slowly into a smile, and she reaches out again to place her hand on his shoulder. “But you’re also a really nice guy. I’d love to meet your friends”.

Terry smiles to himself and pulls the car off onto her street, putting it in park right outside the apartment. “Schway. I’ll give Chelsea, Max and Howard a call tomorrow. See if we can all set something up this week. We used to hang at the J-bar a lot. Ever been?”

“Only once” she says, not saying anymore on the subject.

Terry catches the cue and nods to himself. “Well, it’ll be fun. Maybe we’ll get Howard to do karaoke”.

“Why? Is he good?”

“No” Terry says. “He’s horrible at it, but it’s the funniest thing you’ll ever see to watch him try”. Delia laughs and reaches for the door handle, turning to say one last goodbye to her friend, her apartment building right in front of them. Something stops her though, and she can’t explain why. She was halfway out of the car door before Terry’s smile catches her. She scrutinizes his face, and her mind goes back over everything that had happened so far in her life. How she had come to this exact moment. 

“What? Everything okay?”

‘He cares’ she thinks to herself, moving slowly back into the car while leaving the door open, her body almost slithering over the seats. In Terry’s mind, an image of a jungle cat, stalking its prey is evident, though he feels anything but in danger. She wraps her arms around his shoulders and leans in, pressing her lips against his and closing her eyes. Terry was shocked, but his body reacted all of its own accord. His arm goes about her waist, crushing the lithe but willing body into his to deepen the kiss. 

Before he could fully get a bearing on what was happening, she separated from him, her hands on either side of his face as she looked at him. She presses one last lazy kiss to his lips, smiling the whole time. “I’ll talk to you later T”. She begins to move out of the car, blushing the entire way before she slams the door shut, rushing up the stairs into the apartment. 

Terry just continues to look befuddled, his mind fixated on what had just happened.    
  
Almost as if he was a robot, he puts the car in drive and pulls off of the curb, heading home. ‘She kissed me’.

**_Arkham Asylum Ruins_ **

The water dripped slowly down the walls, puddling in whatever pools they happened to make. Moss covered the rest, drooping down through the porous ceiling. It was a perfect hideout, one nobody would expect. 

“OOOOHHHH YES BOYS!”

The shout booms through the subterranean hideout, but with the storm raging outside they knew it wouldn’t be heard. Scab, Coe and Bonk followed the older man into the darkness, carrying an array of boxes and random items that they had looted or stolen over the past week. All were chemical compounds, taken from biolabs across the city. 

“Why the hell did he drag us all the way out here?”   
  
Coe turns and shushes Bonk, the older and larger criminal having gotten tired of all these technically intense robberies in place of their usual money orientated ones. “We do what the boss man says” Scab monotonously repeats, having grown tired of taking orders already, even if those orders came from the Joker.

The man seems to notice the lack of enthusiasm on part of the young thugs, and turns, a wicked smile curving his features. “Ohh boys” he says, advancing on them. “Don’t be so glum”. He splays his hand out, gesturing around them, his other wrapping around Scab’s shoulder. “We’re going to make this city one giant playground!”

“Yeah, sure” Scab says disbelievingly. “Look, the chaos has been fun and all. Really. It rips. But we’re more about money these days”. Joker glares at the interjecting Coe, who looks away in fear and embarrassment. “Such small minds...but that’s okay. Papa teach” he says, moving over to a box, grasping a claw hammer in his free hand as he does. With one swift movement, the box’s lid comes off and the white skinned man reaches in, throwing out random assortments of items. Stethoscopes, vials and syringes go flying, causing the three goons to duck. “Nope, nope, nuh uh. Ohh! Nope...AHHH!” the Joker exclaims, pulling out a vial of a green swirling liquid.    
  
“Do you know what this is?”

“Green goo?” Coe volunteers. “EXCELLENT JOB COE!” the man says, laughing as he points. “You get a cookie. But no, it’s more than green goo. It’s a way to even the score. You see...somebody has been trying to set me up”.

The entire room goes quiet, the distant roar of thunder being the only thing to interrupt them. “What the hell are you talking about?” Bonk begins, advancing on the much more diminutive man. “Ohh I think you know Bonksie! You see, somebody told that new gang...ohh what do they call themselves? The T’s yes! The T’s, ecchkkk, what a dumb group, about me, and now? Well, they put a bounty on the head of little ole’ me!”

Joker fake gasps, placing his fingers in his mouth and jokingly chewing his fingernails. He quickly changes, the smile coming back to his face. “But luckily, daddy has been recruiting himself!” he explains, gesturing towards the open cellar door. Shapes begin moving into the cellar like structure, exposing themselves as random members of the dispersed Jokerz. “You see, I thought it was time to expand the franchise” he teases, moving over towards Dottie, one of the more famous, and now most wanted, of Gotham city’s Jokers.

“Besides, it was beginning to become a bit of a sausage party” he adds, giving the young woman a swat on the rear which makes her eyes widen before she covers her mouth and giggles. “Anywho, yadda yadda, traitor in our mist...boring, boring boring. I already know who it is”.

The Joker stops, placing his hand behind his back, his shoulders shaking under the black turtleneck he now wore, his rage barely concealed. “Bonk, you breaka my heart” he says suddenly, turning and opening the vial, tossing it directly onto the lumbering goon. Scab and Coe each rush away from the man, knowing that whatever was in the vial wasn’t going to be good new for them.

At first nothing happens, and the liquid just sizzles and bonk panics, looking down at how it begins to eat through the fabric of his shirt. He gags, pain running up and down his body as it makes contact with his skin. “What the hell…” one of the other Jokerz says, most having only come on the idea that there was something big going on. 

Bonk falls to his knees, the tattered remains of his shirt falling off while his face is twisted into an awful smile. What happens next, frightens everyone. The massive goon’s guts fall right out, a slit opening in his stomach as a tree branch bursts through, the man moaning and screaming in pain as his body is twisted and transformed, his limbs cracking and twisting, hardening. With one final tortured and gargled scream the man is fully transformed into a deformed horrific tree, a testament to human suffering. 

The Joker smiles, kicking off the remnants of the former man’s clothes, leaving the tree bare. He takes a knife and plunges it into the midsection, withdrawing it to show the burst of blood that follows. “You see” he begins, admiring the knife. “Before I died...I had it all wrong”.

He turns, looking towards the crowd of Jokerz, who stared in shocked and stunned silence. “I wanted to make Gotham laugh. To see the funny side of tragedy. But you see...this whole city is just tragedy”. His face falls, a frown that communicated his utter disdain for Gotham city. “Now, I see the truth. Did a lot of thinking, and now I realize what has to be done”.

“Gotham must become a monument! To little old me. Best way to do that?”

“I’m gonna remake it in my image”. He clenches his fist and shakes it angrily. “And not only that, I’m going to ensure it stays that way. I was thinking small time. But the Joker isn’t a small time hood! No, not like you once were! I have to push my image out to the stares! A beacon of misery and a smile all in one. That’s what Gotham is going to be” he teases, sitting on a box and kicking it. 

“My own eternal funhouse. Naturally, I need to sire a few whelps, keep it going of course. All in due time though! All in due time. I can remain a bachelor a little while longer!” he says. “My old mole was...defective. Ohh poor Harley, could never do what I really needed her to do. Such a waste. Anywho, we’re going to get to business!” 

Coe speaks up, being a little more cautious as he turns to see the look of terror on his friend, who he wasn’t sure if he was alive or dead anymore. “So, what’s our move boss?”

Scab remains silent, not willing to challenge the obviously much more unhinged than he’d originally thought man for such a title. “Well...I’m not sure” Joker teases, bringing his hand to his mouth, tapping his fingers against his lips before his eyes widen and lights up once more, a figurative light bulb over his head. 

“I’ve got it” he snaps his fingers.

“You see, apparently, my old gal pal might’ve had some ole’ eggs in the carton after all, and my swimmers? Pfffft, big and strong!” he says, splaying out his arms to display nonexistent muscles. “Unfortunately” he deflates, “without my tutelage, that little flower unfortunately wilted and died, but not before sprouting some saplings of his own! I am a proud grandpa!” he shouts, waiting for the cheering and congratulations he obviously expected from the Jokerz.

When it remains silent, he turns a scowl on them, urging them into action as he picks up another vial and tosses it up and down in his hand. “Ohh yeah? Well, congrats boss. Who is he?” Coe asks, the rest clapping and shouting, wolf whistling as well. “Not HE, Coe my good boy. She. Well, rather SHES. As in plural. Two. I am the proud grandpappy of two rambunctious girls!” he says, pulling out a laptop he’d taken from one of their escapades within the city.    
  
He opens it and begins typing, pulling up as much information as he can before flicking on the projector. The brick wall immediately in front of the gang lights up, articles on either side of the page. “Hey” one of the Jokerz shouts. “That’s the Dee Dees. They went down when J-man’s crew got slagged by the pigs” he exclaims.

“Yeah, one went to Blackgate, the other went states evidence after getting some cold feet” another supplies. “Heard she didn’t wanna whack some dreg and her little girl”.

The two separate news articles outline all the difference to the man in his granddaughters. One was a mugshot, a maniacally laughing Deidre in it, while the other was of Delia being interviewed on the courthouse steps.    
  
“Well, we all have a disappointment or two in the family” the old man says, turning to look at Deidre. “But this one? Ohh my, the murderous glare? The nose? It’s all me. Classic me, well if I was blonde” he says with a laugh, grabbing Scab and bringing him close. “I might have an heir...ess after all” he corrects himself, throwing the man to the ground. Scab falls and glares up at the Joker’s back, him having turned on the fallen thug as soon as had fallen. “Easy Scab” Coe whispers, seeing the murderous glare in his former leader’s eyes. Without a word he gestures to the remains of Bonk and then the vial still within the Joker’s hands.

Scab nods, slowly calming but promising himself that he’d somehow get even with the crown prince of crime. ‘Fucking old dreg’. He stands and brushes himself off.

“So, my plan? Well, I wanna use some more of this Joker/Ivy toxin I cooked up, and what better way to use it...and the other nasty toys I cooked up” he supplies with a glance towards yet another crate stacked in the corner. “To break out my granddaughter and induct her into the big time! Restart the family business” he teases.

“Then we’ll try and gather my lost little sheep and show her some grandfatherly love. After that?” he shrugs. “We can find some other ways to make life fun and interesting for dreary old Gotham city. Personally? I wanna see the Batman strung up but I’ve decided we will be a democracy...with me as king of course. So...you boys and girls ready to open our little fun park?” he asks.

The crowd doesn’t need to be drawn into applause this time, each one already agreeing with the assessment that Gotham was ripe for the plucking. 

Joker was truly back.

**_The Batcave_ **

“It’s ready”

“Are you sure?”

Bruce looks at the man who had taken up his mantle and nods, sliding the bag containing the batsuit across the table to the man. “Thanks”.

A moment of silence passes between them, Bruce being the first to breach it. “Something you want to talk about McGinnis?” he asks warily, knowing that he wasn’t good when it came to advice. Terry shuffles uncomfortably before looking at the man again.

“It’s just...have you ever thought you had a read on someone, only to find out you were wrong?”

“It hasn’t happened often”. The old man shifts on his cane before looking up once more at his protege. “But it has happened”. Terry seems to be comforted a bit by this fact, the idea that Bruce was fallible and could feel that he had been wrong putting him back on solid ground. “Was it ever good?” he asks.

“What do you mean?”   
  


“I mean has someone ever proven you wrong in a good way” he explains, clarifying his question. “Shown you that they can and should be trusted, if not with the cape and identity, then at least on a personal level”.

Bruce is quiet, reflecting on the statement before he turns his back on Terry and moves to the computer, assuming the position he’d most likely be at all night. “Yes” he says simply. Terry advances on the man and stands behind the high back chair that was set just in front of the computer. “Who?”

Without even turning Bruce powers up the batcomputer, letting the coordinates calibrate on the suit until he had a visual on its location, which he knew to be within the cave. He tests the cloaking against the frequencies set up to aid the GCPD as well, and notes that it worked as well. “You”.

Terry feels something hit him in the midsection, and he can’t exactly place it. Words of encouragement and support were few and far between with Bruce, and when they did come they usually had the biggest impact and came from a place of deep respect. “You have a patrol to get to. It’s been a while, and gang violence is on the rise in Gotham”.

Bruce reaches forward and presses a button, changing the screen to an overhead map of Gotham city. “I want you to find the cause of it, and shut it down”.

“Right. I’m heading out”

Terry throws the bag onto the table once more, retracting the suit and slipping out of his street clothes as quickly as possible. He had gotten more than good at it, and in less than a minute he was dressed with all the gadgets and utilities strapped on, saving the cowl. “Where should I start?”

“Downtown” Bruce suggests in a tone that gave away the fact that his words were more than a suggestion.

“Alright” Terry says, turning and walking towards the batmobile.

“Terry”. Bruce calling his name stops him in his tracks and the young man turns, having pulled the cowl up over his head. Bruce turns in the chair, looking at the the dark haired man with a deep scrutiny. “Trust is earned. You know that better than anyone. I want to tell you not to trust. To not let her into your life”.

Terry remains silent, knowing that there would be an important point at the end of this. “I want you to focus on your mission. The goal I, and now you, have worked so hard for, and sacrificed so much for. But I am also aware of how different we are. If you feel you can trust her, trust her, but don’t give her enough rope to hang you, and me in the process. Give her enough that it would hurt you if you’re proven wrong, but not enough that it’ll kill you if you’re wrong. Do not sacrifice the Batman or our secrets, but, if you want to let her in on a personal level, I won’t stop you”.

The words settle within Terry’s mind and he nods his assent, knowing that he had to take a chance. 

“Good luck out there”.

Without another word Bruce turns back the computer, remotely tapping into security cameras all over Neo-Gotham. “Good luck back here”. Terry rushes and jumps into the open cockpit of the batmobile, moving the vehicle into forward gear and rocketing through the exit of the cave into the night sky.

Gotham’s underworld was about to find out that their vacation was over.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Neo-Gotham, City Hall_ **

“BLOW IT ALL UP!”

The luddite known as Mad Stan lunges towards Batman, managing to land a blow on the mans cheek. Terry is pushed back, but he regains his footing, reaching up just in time to catch Stan’s second punch with his hands. “Yeah, heard you the first time”.

He uses his free hand and punches upwards, looking towards the supercomputer upon which a horde of explosives with its attached detonator rested. ‘Come on, we don’t have time for this!’ he thinks to himself, unable to prevent his mind from wandering to the plans he had for tonight. “You’re a dreg Bats, holding up the rotting corpse of the technocracy! I’ve gotta save you and everyone else from themselves and I’ll blow it all up to do it!” Stan screams, having been able to dodge the vigilante’s attack before going on the offensive again, slamming Terry down onto a desk and proceeding to choke him. 

“D...hrrkk...feel...very...safe” he gags out before headbutting the man and breaking his nose easily. Stan lets go of him and moves back, not able to circumvent Batman, who jumps towards him and further compounds the situation by laying an absolutely deadly punch on the man’s already shattered face. Stan falls back, his mind shutting down to cope with the quick and intense level of pain that was now coursing through his body. 

Terry doesn’t waste another glance at the fallen villain, focusing instead on the bomb. He jumps up and uses the suits retractable wings to cover the extra distance quickly. He kneels down, surveying the wires that emanate from the device. “Any suggestions boss?”

“It’s one of Stan’s usuals. Shouldn’t be too complicated” Bruce says through the suit’s earpiece. 

Terry frowns and pulls out a batarang, his fingers nimbly moving over the wires and peeling them this way and that. “Easy for you to say” he mumbles to himself before his eyes settle on the tell tale red one. “Stan really isn’t a fan of tech, so he’s probably old fashioned, and if that means what I think it means…”

He lunges forward with the sharp end of the batarang, slicing the red wire open and hoping to God that it worked. He looks up, half expecting to see the cartoonish alarm clock attached to the device still counting down. When he sees that it is frozen at exactly ten seconds, he breathes a sigh of relief. “We’re lucky I watched a lot of old toons as a kid”.

He stands and wipes his gloves, feeling the clammy dread that had settled over him recede as he reminds himself that tragedy had once again been averted. “Don’t tell me that we have Wiley Coyote to thank for tonight McGinnis” Wayne says, a smirk evident in his voice.

“Alright, I won’t then”.

Banging commences on the large doors that lead into the basement, and once again, Terry is on high alert. “This is GCPD! Come out with your hands up Stan! It’s over!”

“Crud, cops are here” he says into the speaker, his eyes already trained upon the skylight he had entered through. “Not like the city doesn’t already have to fix that thing”. He extends his wings and enables the thrusters in his boots, but not before throwing a bolo enhanced batarang at the still unconscious Stan, binding him up for the cops. 

“Adios” he says before moving through the broken glass and into the Gotham night sky, just in time to be missed by Gordon and her officers knocking down the door and entering the room, blasters already drawn. A quick surveyance of the room causes them to slowly lower their weapons, Commissioner Gordon already sporting a half smirk, half grimace at seeing Stan already wrapped up like a present.

“Looks like Batm…” an officer begins before being cut off by a glare from Gordon. The man looks away, back towards the deactivated bomb. “Well, at least the computer is safe. Mayor Ryder will be happy to hear about that. Barbara just looks back up at the skylight, shaking her head. “Yeah, at least there’s that. Alright, gather up Stan and the explosives. Make sure to be careful with them too. We don’t want any accidents”.

“Yes ma’am” the officer says, snapping off a salute and hurrying over towards the downed luddite terrorist. 

Barbara puts her hands in her pockets and begins to walk towards the exit, wanting to let the other officers poised outside and the undoubtedly already swarming press get a statement from her.

‘And yet another Gordon has to answer questions about the Batman’ she thinks, half irritated and half humored.

**_Arkham Asylum Catacombs_ **

“Look, all I’m saying is that that stuff turned Bonk into a freakin’ tree!” one of the goons that had coalesced around Scab’s leadership says, casting a critical eye over each one of his shoulders before making such a statement. “What if he decides to use it on us?”

“He won’t”.

The group turns towards Scab, who had been sitting down on an old crate to the left of them. “What makes you so sure?” Coe asks, anger in his voice. Over the following weeks, paranoia had set in amongst the ranks of the Jokerz under the original’s control. Following their rash of robberies and random assorted mischief, he had abruptly switched tactics and decided to move underground. Waiting for something that the rest of them weren’t quite aware of. It had allowed Gotham to breathe a sigh of relief, but had caused an itch that needed to scratched within their ranks.

“Because it won’t serve a purpose” the red clad jester says, standing up and looking out over his band of misfits. “He wants to spread fear. Make people remember who’s in charge. He won’t do that by slagging a bunch of us. In fact, I’d bet most of the city might even like that”.

The logic finds its purchase due to the silence, and each and every one of them is comforted by the argument put forth. 

“Alright, so why the hell we layin’ so low then?” a red headed woman asks, her getup consisting of cartoonishly oversized shoes and rainbow overalls.

“He wants to bust the dregs out of Blackgate would be my guess”. Scab seemed apathetic, and Coe wasn’t interested in Scab’s self pity. “We already know that idio…”. His words are cut off by Scab’s fingers wrapping about his throat, squeezing tightly and restricting his air flow. “What did you call me?”

He leans into Coe’s face very closely, his breath coming out in quick and even spurts, showcasing his anger to his underling. “Not...nothing…..so...sorry” Coe squeaks out before Scab drops him, allowing the smaller man to crash into the dust at his feet. 

“That’s what I thought”.

The man turns and walks away, moving deeper into the tunnel where there was less light to maintain a visual on him. “Scab? Where you goin’?” one of them calls out, causing the shadow to stop and turn. “I ain’t playing second fiddle to this old geezer, even if he was here first” he begins to explain.

“We’ve been here in Gotham a long time now. We changed the rules of the game, and we did pretty good for ourselves. Now this guy shows up and we all just bow before him like he’s some sort of God?”

The group each looks at each other uncomfortably, the words settling in the pit of their stomach and giving them cause to doubt. Coe dusts himself off and slowly moves to his feet. “Come on Scab” he begins, still wanting to convince his friend. “We get it. Things aren…”.

“Nah, you don’t get it dreg” Scab says, a wicked smile on his face which falls away quickly. “I was set to be king of this castle man. With J-Man gone, and the rest tucking tail, it was just us left. Then the Joker shows up. Don’t get me wrong friend, used to like the make up and shit but now?”

  
He reaches up and pulls off the red hood he had been wearing, throwing it to the ground before wiping the white makeup off of his face as best as he could. It didn’t work, and the remnants smudged all about his skin. Still, the action was more symbolic than anything else. “It’s kind of stupid. Nobody is ever going to really fear a clown. And me? I want their fear. So, the smart ones? You’re gonna come with me. It’s going to be hard, and a good amount of you? Pfft, you’re gonna get fragged. But with the war that’s coming, Gotham is up for grabs. You have a chance to take some of that if you’re strong enough” he says, convincing a number of them already. 

“Don’t really care if you do or don’t” he says, waving his hand and turning around, continuing to walk into the darkness. “But you’re guaran-fucking-teed to die if you stay with the Joker”.

The group remains quiet, the crackling of the fire the only thing that can be heard. “Well, it would be nice to start cracking some skulls again, and workin’ for the old man is boring, so yeah, I’m out. Hey Scab!” the blonde calls out, kicking her big red shoes into the fire. “Wait for me!”

Her running off into the darkness was a cue for the rest, and about seventy five percent of the group takes off after Scab. “Wait! Guys….slag it!” Coe shouts, abandoning all hope of convincing them and instead deciding to join them, his hat being left in the random detritus that the other former Jokerz had left. 

**_Office of Maria Bertenelli-Sage, District Three Probation Office Neo-Gotham_ **

“Alright Dennis” the older woman says with a smile. “Starting to like you. Weeks of no complaints, no slide backs and no arrests. Not even on a misdemeanor. You get a gold star” she teases, interlacing her fingers in front of her while leaning on the desk.

Delia just shrugs, crossing her leg over the other and her arms over her chest, clearly bored with these checkups already. “Cool. Is there anything else?”

“Yeah, how about you drop the act” Maria teases. “It’s clear there’s something on your mind. Does it have anything to do with your job?”

The question prompts an image of Terry at his desk, wearing his suit and answering the phone into Delia’s head. She shakes it away, and instead focuses on wood paneling of the desk. “No..”. Maria picks up on her halfhearted response immediately, and it’s clear to the younger woman that she didn’t buy it. “Uhhmm. Listen, kid. I said I like you. We can be friends now and share girl talk and all that gossip. Think of this as therapy on Gotham City’s dime”.

“Please, are you even a liscense….” Delia begins to ask before Maria preempts her, pointing to a framed degree on the wall. “Yup” the parole officer says, an extra emphasis added on the “p” that gives it a distinctive popping sound. Delia sighs and rolls her eyes, looking back at the dark haired woman and smiling. “So I won’t get a bill if I spill my guts to you?”

“Nope”.

“I guess...well….” Delia begins, not sure of where to start or why she wanted to open up to this woman. “I’ve started to have….feelings”. Maria nods and smiles. “Ohh? Must be really bad for a hardened criminal like you huh? What, does little Delia wanna cuddle and smooch some guy...or….girl?” she asks, a raised eyebrow the only indication that she was teasing the blonde.

“Har har, but no, I don’t swing that way. Must be a big disappointment for you”.

“Pfft, as if Dennis” she says with a laugh. “If I was gonna les out I’d aim higher than you. A girl’s gotta have standards. Besides, I doubt my husband would exactly like that anyway. But this isn’t about hypothetical homosexuality. This is about Terry right?”

“Am I that easy to read?”   
  
“Yeah, then again, he is the only guy you’ve been hanging around with if you’ve been telling me the truth” Maria says. “Plus he is a handsome guy. Ohhh those pecs...mmmm”.

“Your husband would like it even less to know that you’re drooling over a guy that’s half your age” Delia says, unable to keep the possessive tone out of her voice. “Woah, easy tigress, easy. Just teasing you. But now that we know you’ve started to like your bodyguard...what are you going to do about it? Does he know or suspect at all?”

“I...hhhmmmmh”.

“You what?” Maria asks, leaning in. 

“I kissed him!” Delia shouts back, a little more loudly than she intended. She sinks back into her seat and places her hand over her eyes. “It’s just...we were talking...and he’s so understanding and supportive and I just….well, I kissed him. I don’t know why. I just did”.

Delia stops and calms herself, looking back up at her parole officer and tentative friend. “I’ve been with guys before. Not that I’m proud of any of it. Mostly gang stuff. Protection I guess. It’s not good to be a woman without backup, and Deidre wasn’t always enough. But it’s different with Terry…”. 

She blushes and smiles, looking out of the window. “He doesn’t just see me as an accomplice or a tool. He doesn’t see me as just ‘one of the DeeDees’. He sees me as me. He puts up with my constant stream of crap, and he wants to know the real me”.

Her face falls and Maria feels her heart go out for the girl. “I’m afraid to show him because...he’s the best friend I’ve ever had. I know that sounds stupid, only knowing him for a month or so...but it’s true. And I want so much more, but I’m afraid that I’ll lose what I have, which is already so great, if I talk to him about it”.

“What did he say after the kiss?”

Delia shrugs. “He hasn’t said anything about it, and neither have I. We just went back to normal but….I know he wants to talk about it. And I do too. Maybe we’re just both afraid to say something...I don’t know!” she says, throwing her hands up in anger.

“When’s the next time you’re going to see him?” Maria asks, not even bothering with teasing the younger woman anymore. “Tonight. He wants to introduce me to some of his friends”.

“Well, it might be good for you to meet new people, but still, we have this problem with Terry to deal with”.

“We?” Delia asks, a little surprised. 

Maria shrugs. “Yeah, sure. Why not. Maybe getting you a boyfriend will give you an extra incentive to stay off of the streets and away from crime. So...you’re going to need to get him alone at some point tonight. Maybe wear something nice that highlights those pitiful curves you’ve got”.

“Listen you crone…” Delia laughs, happy for the assistance and leaning forward to hear the woman’s words.

**_Wayne Manor, the Batcave_ **

“You seem nervous tonight McGinnis” 

“Huh?” Terry asks, having been busy slipping out of the suit. “I said, you seem nervous” Bruce repeats, continuing to type away at the computer, his back turned on the young man. “Something happen on patrol I should know about?”

Terry wasn’t sure how to respond, and was lost for words. Ever since Delia had kissed him he hadn’t been able to get a read on her. Sure she teased him and flirted, but he didn’t think any of it was serious. Then that kiss had happened, and in a way it was earth shattering. The past week had been utter hell, with both of them tip toeing around one another, trying to pretend that nothing had changed when it felt like everything had. She’d catch him looking at her, and she’d flirt and blush but look away herself.

Harleen had picked up on it immediately, though she’d been surprisingly quiet about the situation, and instead of saying anything just observed it with a contented expression on her face. 

“No, nothing out of the ordinary” he says, wanting to turn the conversation back towards work. “The Jokerz have pretty much fallen off of the radar. The T’s are trying to fight their way back to the top”. He moves towards the desk and picks up the backpack that had been laying on the floor, depositing the bat suit into its dark confines before zipping it up and replacing it on the floor. “Whatever you and Gordon were worried about, doesn’t seem to be happening”.

“Hrrrm” Bruce grunts in acknowledgement, reaching out to grasp his cane before standing up.

“You didn’t answer my question”.

Terry sighs and looks up at the computer screen before shaking his head and turning towards the old man. “Delia kissed me”.

Silence hangs over the cave, and Bruce turns his head to appraise his protege. “And?”

“And what? She kissed me” Terry says, hoping to avoid conversation about this in general. “That’s it”.

“Even if I wasn’t me, I would know that you’re lying Terry”.

He begins to walk away, Ace sitting up and plodding after him as Terry picks up his bag and follows the duo. “Okay so...things have been a little weird between us” Terry says, deciding to let the old man in a little. “We’ve been skating around it, but it happened and I don’t know what to do about it”.

They walk up the stairs, entering through the secret passageway and back into the manor, letting the grandfather clock close behind them and sealing in their secrets as it does. “How do you feel about her, and do you think your feelings for her could have anything to do with what happened with Dana Tan?”

Terry is stopped in his tracks and he just moans in frustration. “Why does everyone think that Dana leaving me is the most important thing in my life right now?”

“Probably your reaction every time her name is brought up” Bruce says gently, a smirk on his lips. It slowly vanishes and he moves into his study, an unspoken order for Terry to follow in the air. “It’s just…” Terry starts.

“She teases me in ways that keep me off balance. I have no idea if I’m coming or going with her, but when she kissed me...it just felt like...I don’t know, that maybe it’s all an act. Hell, I know some of it’s an act. This whole, ‘badass’ street girl who doesn’t care about anyone or anything. It’s trash. Fake. She does care. Especially about what people think”.

Terry stops and leans against the desk, crossing his arms and looking out over the sea which was visible through the glass window of Bruce’s office. “But...I just felt like I needed to protect her. She seemed so helpless and needy, the exact opposite of what I know she is, when I held her. I won’t ever tell her that because I want to keep my jaw in place”.

Terry turns to the now seated man and fixes him with a stare. “Have you ever felt like that?”

Bruce feels his mind wander to the past, to one particular night that would remain forever etched in his mind. 

_ “I didn’t want you taken away like a common criminal” _

_ “So you do care” _

_ “More than you’ll ever know” _

He shakes the thought away and returns the younger man’s gaze, knowing that he needed firm and intelligent advice. “Yes. I have felt that. More times than I can count” he says vaguely, a smile on his lips. He blinks and forces it away, not wanting Terry to see. It was in vain, as mirth was registered clearly on the young man’s face.

“What I can say is that you should never let appearance fool you” he says, wanting to be as honest as he could. “Delia Dennis still has a track record, and only time can really tell if she’s changed”. He stops as a voice in the back of his head reminds him to be more nuanced. “But...if you think she’s worth trusting, as I said before, trust her. But not more than you can throw her” he says warningly.

Terry nods.

“Thanks”

“Anytime. Are you going to see her tonight?”

“Yeah, and a few friends” he explains.

“Just be careful McGinnis. I don’t want a repeat of the Ten incident”.

“There won’t be, trust me on that” Terry says before turning and walking towards the exit. Bruce waits until he is out of ear shot before he nods to himself and looks out of the same window that Terry had been. “I do”.

**_Apartment of Harleen Dennis_ **

“Ya seem nervous”

Harleen was smiling, sitting in her armchair and languidly taking sips from her tea cup while she watched her granddaughter fidget. “Big plans fer tonight I’m assumin’?” she continues on. Delia turns to her, an angry retort on her lips before she closes her eyes and calms down, drawing appreciation from the elderly woman. ‘She really is suffocatin’ that brat she used to be’.

“Nana….do...have….welll….”

Harleen smiles and laughs, placing the cup of tea back down on the saucer. “I don’t know how ta respond to any a’ that. But if ya maybe change how ya ask it? I might be able to help betta...so spit it out”.

“Terry and I kissed”.

The suddenness of the statement takes the woman for a loop, but she recovers quickly and finds herself pleased. “That so? Good for ya. What did he say after?”

“Nothing” Delia admits. “We haven’t talked about it. We both want to but….well, at least I think he does. I know I do. Nana...what the hell am I going to say?”

“Say you wanna do some more smooching”.

“Nannnna! I’m being serious” Delia protests. 

  
  


“And so am I. Delia…” Harleen says, reaching out and taking the girl’s hands in her own. “One thing I know for certain? People make things hard. We mess ‘em up and swirl them around until we don’t know which way is which and then we can’t even work our way out of the hole we dug ourselves”.

The old woman looks away and sighs, obviously going over her past once again mentally. This draws an outpouring of empathy and support from her granddaughter, who squeezes her hands back and urges her on. “Anyways, just be honest. Do you like Terry romantically like? Or was it a fluke?”

Delia blushes and smiles, nodding her assent to the first option. 

Harleen smiles. 

“Good. So why don’t ya just tell him? He’s a good guy. What have ya really got ta lose?”

“His friendship”.

“Pfft, I doubt it sweetie. I really do. Did he kiss ya back?”

“Yes, well...I think so...he...he held me” she explains, not wanting to give it all away. 

“Uhhmm, then he likes ya back. And even if ya run the risk of losin’ him as a friend, which I think is hooey anyways, ya also got the chance to win so much more. So just tell him, take it slow, and let the cards land where they land munchkin”.

Before either can say another word the doorbell rings, and Delia gulps nervously. “Come in! Ya know my door is always open to ya Terry!” she shouts out. The door slowly opens and Terry steps in. His eyes instantly settle on Delia who stands nervously. “Hey Del. Mrs. H. How is everything?”

“Ohh it’s excellent Terry. Everything is juuuuuust excellent” she teases. “Do you have time to stay for coffee? Tea?”

“Well, I told the guys to be there around eightish, and we’re already running a little late…” he says nervously, rubbing the back of his head. Delia quickly seizes on his statement and leans down to kiss Harleen on the forehead. “Yeah, so we better get going. Don’t want to keep them all waiting too long and...thanks for the advice Nana...I’m going to take it” she whispers, looking back toward Terry and moving forward. “So, ready to go McGinnis?”

  
“Only if you are”.

“I’m ready”.

“Well...let’s go…”

The two stand there, both looking at each other uncomfortable until Harleen breaks the tension by clearing her throat. “Well, hope the both of ya have a good night then”. Her words snap the two of them out of their malaise, and they seem to move as a unit towards the door. “Alright, bye Nana” Delia calls out one last time. “Goodnight Mrs. H”.

“Uhhmm..ya behave yourselves!” she calls out as the door closes. She turns to the television and smirks, picking up her tea cup and taking another sip. “But not too much”.

**_Outside_ **

Terry opens the passenger side door and holds it open for Delia. “Thanks”. Her voice was meek, painted by her nervousness. “No problem”. Terry moves around the car and settles into the driver’s seat, ready to put it into drive. “Wait!” Delia says, reaching out and taking him by the wrist, preventing him from turning the key in the ignition. Terry turns and looks into her eyes, seeing the uncertainty within. 

He retracts his hand from the keys, but to his surprise, Delia’s hand remains on his wrist until it slowly moves upwards, interlacing her fingers with his own. “I...I need to talk to you Terry”.

“Yeah, I...kind of need to do the same with you” he says with a sigh. Delia smiles up at him, feeling a little bit better now that she knows he was just as nervous as her. ‘The fact that he’s holding your hand is also a good sign’ she mentally adds.

“Let me guess, the kiss?”

Terry just smiles and nods. “Yeah. The kiss. I figured we’d get to talking about it eventually. Look...I…”

The tone of voice he’d started off with causes Delia to deflate. “So...you don’t feel like that for me?” she asks, already having assumed the worst. Terry is instantly on damage control. “No! No! That’s not what I mean at….ahh slag it” he says, bringing his free hand up to her cheek and leaning in, pressing his lips to hers and attaching them passionately. 

Delia is caught up in the act, and quickly fights her shock and surprise to return the kiss with equal vigor and passion. Her eyes close and she leans in, crushing her body uncomfortably to his as the center console was in between them. The kiss goes on for several seconds until they separate for air, still remaining close to one another.

Delia can’t help herself, and she peppers his cheek and jawline with gentle feathery kisses. “If you ever tell anyone that I was worried you didn’t like me...I’ll kill you” she says. “Pfft. So image conscious” he teases back, his arm wrapping around her waist and rubbing her lower back. “A girl’s gotta have standards McGinnis”.

“Pfft, shut up” he says. “Make me...unnnf”.

Her retort was cut off by Terry’s lips once again on hers, and she decides right then and there that she likes when he doesn’t take her crap. After several more seconds he releases her, and she just lays her head on his shoulder. “Alright, so….now that that’s all out in the open” she says. 

She looks up at him and smiles, nestling in a little more before moving back into her own seat, a blush covering the entirety of her face. “Let’s get going. I wanna go meet my boyfriend’s friends” she says, taking the next step. Terry smiles, taking it in stride as he turns the key in the ignition and starts the car. 

“Already calling the shots huh?”

“Trust me McGinnis. Listen to me, and your life will go a lot smoother. Besides...I have ways of rewarding you that you’ll find out about later” she teases. 

“Yes ma’am” he says, enjoying how easily they were able to communicate and work out their issues. 

**_Blackgate Prison_ **

Klaxons and alarms roared all over the island, comprehensive evidence that something was not right. “What the hell is going on?”

“I have no clue, but we better get moving”.

The guards shuffle down the hallway leading from the armory, all of them having taken the time to arm themselves with something more than their usual batons. “Someone escape?”

“Didn’t I just say that I had no idea?” the other guard asks sarcastically, reaching forward and opening the hatch that led out into the main atrium. The holding cells were reverberating with the noise of rambunctious prisoners, each and every one of them excited about anything that would be out of the ordinary.

Deidre Dennis was no exception. 

“Hey guardies! What’s going on you fucking dregs?!” she shouts while slamming her fist against the cell door. “We getting let out, or is it just Christmas or something?”

Deidre had not done well since he relocation to the Isolation ward, and her frazzled appearance only served to make this fact much more evident. “Shut the hell up Dennis!” one of the guards screams, slamming his own fist against the outside of the glass. It doesn’t even phase Deidre, who just smirks back at the man.

“Aw, did I bother you Tommy? Tell me, how is your wife doing these days? Pregnant right? Heard you talkin’ with your friend when you passed by”.

The look on the man’s face is apoplectic, and he seethes at her, threatening her with the rifle. “I should blow your brains out you fucking freak. Anyone who worships that piece of shit should….”

Another guard walks up and lowers the rifle with his hand, knowing that it wouldn’t have been able to penetrate the bullet proof glass anyway. “Easy Tommy, easy. She’s trying to get in your head. Screw with you”.

He looks at her once more and scowls, moving away while whispering, “you’re lucky Boyle is here to save your ass Dennis”.

Boyle takes one look around before smirking at the woman. “You got a visitor toots” he says, reaching out with his hand and scanning his key card, unlocking the cell. Deidre is utterly shocked by the turn of events, but gingerly steps out of the cell. Boyle raises his hand and checks the wrist watch he wore, a sadistic smile crossing his lips. “And he should be here righhhhhht...now”.

  
Just then, an explosion rocks the entire atrium, having come from the left side. Cell doors are smashed open by the force of it, and the bodies inside the cells incinerated by the inferno they had become. Deidre raises her arm, trying to protect herself from the blast and heat while Boyle just laughs and hands her his rifle. 

“Here, hold this” he teases, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a tub of white makeup. “I wanna look presentable to the boss”.

“What the hell are you…”

“He’s talking about me sweetie!” a voice from the far end of the hall teases. She turns to the source and goes wide eyed at the sight before her. Standing in the middle of a group of Jokerz, was a tall man with dark hair and a white face. “Pfft, another wannabee? Ahh, well that’s alright. Thanks for busting me out of here” she says sweetly, turning to walk away before Boyle, now fully clad in white makeup and a red grinning smirk, stops her. “You might wanna stay Dennis. After all, this is the real deal!” he says.

Delia turns and appraises the man again. A curved eyebrow is her only response. “You’re telling me that this guy is the original Joker? Nice attempt at a laugh, but he’s been dead for years” she says.    
  
Joker walks forward, the rest of the gang fanning out to begin undoing some of the locks on the doors, releasing their compatriots. His eyes were firmly locked on Deidre, and he smiles widely, his hands going to either one of her shoulders before bringing her in for a tight hug. 

“OHH SWEETIE! GRANDPAPPY’S HOME!” 

Deidre struggles in his grasp, pushing him away and scowling, her shiv coming instantly into her hand. “Want me to carve a more permanent one into your face gramps?”

“Hmm” Joker says, his finger going to his lips as he appraises the woman. “Posture is good, the shiv is well made and maniacal gleam in your eye mixed with that winning smile. Yup. It’s all me. Glad you’re recognizing that I’m your dear old grandpa too. But anyways, yadda yadda, stuff to do, catching up and all that. Birthday presents galore” he says, turning and gesturing with his hand for hr to follow him.

“I’m just supposed to believe you?”

He stops and turns around, noting her confusion. “First of all, the Joker ain’t my gramps. Secondly, you’re not the real Joker”.

“Ohh but you’re confused on both points sweetie. You see, nobody else but the real Joker could ever get all these mooks to work together. And as for you being the fruit of my loin’s loins? Yes. You are. We can kidnap the “you are the father guy” if you really want, but I’d much rather hurry this along and induct you into the family business” he teases.

“Hey! Hey! Dee, let me out!” J-Man calls, having been in a cell next to Deidre’s. 

“Ohh, whose this that knows my sweet little murderous cherry blossom?” Joker asks, leaning against the cell and pulling out a water soaker. “Boyfriend?”

Deidre returns the stare before shrugging, looking at J-Man with indifference. “Ex. Why?”

“Ohh no reason. I just thought he could be the first to prove that I’m the real Hatfield and McCoy’s” he says, opening the door and allowing the man out. “Hey thanks” he says to Joker before glaring at Deidre. “And what the hell do you mean by ex? I run this gang you fucking bitch” he says, making to advance on the woman. 

A spurt of water shouts out of the gun and lands on his cheek, something he wipes away. He turns on Joker, a wicked smile and an intent to kill the old man who had released him. He’s suddenly stopped in his tracks, a pain emanating from within him. “Aww, you’re looking a bit under the weather”.

Suddenly, J-Man screams out in pain, whirring around and looking towards Deidre. A tree branch, small and yet rigid, was now emanating from his cheek. “What the hell did you do to me you freak...ahhhh!”

He grabs his stomach through the jumpsuit, quickly unzipping it to give himself access to the spots on his bare body that now found themselves inflamed. It slips off of his shoulders, leaving him bare to the waist. “Special strain. Watch this” Joker teases, coming up alongside Deidre and wrapping his arm about her shoulders.

Deidre watches in rapt attention as J-Man begins to chuckle, laughing hysterically as his face is gripped in a gleaming smile. “May have added a bit too much of Ivy’s toxin to it. See, if I wasn’t such a murdering maniac, I could have marketed this stuff as a super viagra!” he teases, watching as the man fully slips out of his jumpsuit, nude as the day he was born. Deidre grimaces at the erection he now sported, though the man doubled over in a pain that interrupted his laughter. 

His skin is soon falling off of him, being replaced by hard wood like surfaces. The pain is added to as branches emanate from his body, haphazardly forcing their way out of him. His face becomes fixed and his cries of pain cease completely, J-Man having been completely transformed in his murder.

“Woah!” Deidre says, more interested than fearful. She turns back to the old man and smirks. “Alright, I’ll humor you. You might be the real deal so it’s worth giving a shot. Let’s go. Ohh!” 

She rushes over towards the petrified J-Man tree and kicks at his groin until the tree limb that had once been his penis falls off. Blood flows freely from the wound, causing her to wonder if the trees were “alive” in their own way. 

“Ohh, nice touch!”

“Thanks. Now, I’m assuming you have somewhere to go?”

“Ohh we do, we do. We’re going to have to go loud very soon though, so I wouldn’t get comfortable” Joker teases, moving into the destroyed cells, ready to make his escape. Deidre follows, one thought and one thought only on her mind. ‘I’m going to make Delia pay’.


	6. Chapter 6

**_The Juice Bar, Downtown Gotham_ **

The music was loud and indeed the entire atmosphere seemed to just be filled with people all having fun. Delia and Terry were dancing close, though she enjoyed bumping into him and rubbing against him more than anything. “Hey, stop it” he says after a particularly rough bump, though the smile takes all of the power out of his voice. 

Delia just looks at him coquettishly and repeats the action. 

“Or what McGinnis?”

“Pfft, I can see your grandmother in you right now with how much you’re teasing me” he retorts. She turns and swats his shoulder before her arms gently move about him, and she smiles. “Dreg”.

Terry doesn’t say anything and instead they just keep moving together, staring at one another. The music stops, winding down to give everyone a momentary break, and Delia breaks the spell. “Let’s go get something to drink, and go back and see you’re friends. Kind of a bummer that we left them hanging for so long” she teases, moving back towards the table. 

Terry shrugs, gesturing over at the waitress who already seemed to guess that they wanted drinks, moving over towards the table as Terry slid into the booth besides Delia. He resisted the temptation to put his arm around her, watching as Chelsea, Howard and Max looked at his askance, teasing expressions in each of their eyes.

Delia wasn’t making it any better as she scooted in closer and laid her head teasingly on his shoulder, wanting to embarrass him in front of his friends. She blinks her eyelashes up at him kittenishly, causing Terry to give in and roll his eyes, wrapping his arm about her shoulders and pulling her in.

Chelsea and Max let out little “oooh” sounds, while Howard wolf whistles. “Yeah, yeah, cool it you guys” he retorts. “Sure, when you two stop heating it up” Howard jokes, prompting a high five from Max. Just then, the waitress arrives, asking for each of their drink orders. When she leaves, the conversation has moved on, and Del has straightened back up in the booth.

“So...how did you two meet?” Max asks inquisitively, undoubtedly already knowing the answer. Terry is at a loss for words, not wanting to have to explain to his friends that he was so close to a reformed criminal. “At work. I work for Terry” Del supplies quickly, appearing nonplussed as she leans back and returns the black girl’s searching glare.

“That so?”

“That’s so”.

The staring contest goes on for a few more moments until Chelsea breaks the silence. “Well, that’s kind of cute…” she teases, obviously being a sucker for romance. “Kind of hot too. What can you order her to do Terry?” Howard asks before receiving a double pronged assault as Chelsea elbows him in the side and Delia kicks him under the table. “What was that for?”

“I don’t think we need to answer that Howie” Max teases, reaching over to add insult to injury by ruffling the man’s hair. The group all laugh at his expense, and eventually even he joins in. 

“Wow. I forgot how much of a riot hanging out with you guys was” Chelsea says, letting the waitress put their drinks down on the table before continuing. “It’s been a while since we’ve all gotten to hang out”.

“Correction. We’ve all hung out multiple times. It’s usually just Terry that’s missing” Howard teases, wanting to get one back on his friend. “Yeah well, let’s just say that work has been more stressful as of late”.

“Ohh yeah, you should see how back breaking it is for him to order me to get him more coffee” Delia teases, poking his cheek. “I’d normally tell him to screw off buuuut...he’s my boss. And he’s cute. So two things that keep me in line”.

“Ohh I like her Ter. Bring her around more often” Max teases.

Delia just smiles and rubs Terry’s chest. “I’ll make sure of it” she says right back, both getting lost in looking at each other again. “Umm hello? Just because you two went all doey eyed doesn’t mean we stop existing”.

The couple look away, each sporting a massive blush that leads to even more catcalling and ribbing. “Speaking of, how long have you two been together?”

“Well...not long” Terry says to Max who just smirks.

“Uhhmm. Already pretty handsy and such don’t you think?”

Before anyone can answer an explosion rockets through the side of the club, tearing down an entire wall and almost crushing a group of dancers. Smoke instantly fills the whole building, causing the group to cough as they try and rush to their feet. 

“Wh...what’s going on?” Howard asks, trying to get his bearings. Terry is first on his feet though, and he scoots out of the booth, ready to jump into action. “Whatever it is, it’s not good” he says aloud, regretting the fact that he couldn’t slip out of the back to get his suit from the car. 

“LADIES AND GENTLEMAN!!” a loud voice suddenly calls out. “We’re sorry to interrupt, but this party is fragged!” it says before a shot is fired at the dj booth, sending glass shards everywhere and covering the people nearby. They scream in terror and huddle on the floor, the rest watching as dark shadows begin to move into the building through the mist.

“Ohh no” Terry says when he realizes who it is.

“But don’t worry!” the voice adds, definitely belonging to a woman. “We’re only here for one person and where is she?” Deidre asks, now wearing a modified version of her former uniform. It was the same in many ways, the hat, wig, makeup and suspenders all being present, but the ammo belts and other assortment of explosives were new.

Other Jokerz begin to move up beside her, each armed to the teeth as well. “Shit” Delia says, moving up beside Terry. “I want you to get out of here” he whispers, knowing that it was only a matter of time until Deidre saw her. “And what? You’re going to go fight her? Frag off McGinnis. I’m not letting my sister kill a bunch of randos in a club” she says.

Terry makes to fight her on this, but he knows it’s impossible. ‘She can handle herself’ he mentally says, knowing that to be a fact. “Alright, but you stay right next to me alright? Howard, get Max and Chelsea out of here”.

The other man nods, knowing that he wouldn’t be much help anyways. “Don’t you think we should leave this to the cops or Batman though?” Chelsea asks, being silenced as Howard grabs her and Max by the arms, moving towards a rear exit door that the Jokerz apparently hadn’t covered yet. 

Terry doesn’t respond, and instead pulls Delia down to seek cover behind the booth. He uses his hands to gesture that they should move forward and try and get the drop on them. ‘Something tells me Batman won’t be showing up here tonight’ he thinks with a grimace.

Delia follows instantly, keeping her head down as they jump from cover to cover in tandem, avoiding the thugs who had just now started to fan out amongst the club. “Yoohoo. Deliaaaa? I know you’re in here sis!” Deidre shouts, kicking over a table and startling the woman hiding beneath it. She screams in terror, but Deidre stops her by pointing the muzzle of her assault blaster to her forehead. “I have a hostage again Dee Dee. What do you think of that?” she snickers aloud, pulling the woman up and pressing her chest into the woman’s back.

“Just like at the bank where you turned fucking traitor!” she shouts, anger now seeping into her voice. Delia stiffens and she attempts to peak over the top of the booth until Terry’s arm stops her, a goon passing by just at that moment. She looks back at Terry, and nods her thanks. He just smirks back and gestures for them to keep going. 

“What was it that made you go soft huh Dee? Huh? A little girl crying for her mommy? Was that all it took to turn you into one of these fucking dregs? Look at them. Look at how weak they are. Crying and waiting for Batman” she says, mocking the vigilante by changing the inflection of her voice before continuing, “to come save them. It’s pathetic!”

She kicks out a table in her rage, turning her head to look at one of the men with her. “Groucho, Junebug. Pick up two more and show everyone we mean business” she says, the clown makeuped underlings wasting no time in selecting two more hostages. 

“Are you hiding somewhere? Is that it? Have you gone full native?” she teases, taking the assault blaster away and firing a flurry of rounds into the ceiling, causing plaster and tiles to fall to the ground. “What a fucking fall from grace. We used to be a team. We took whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted. Now? I hear you have a job. A regular nine to fiver. What’s next? Going to meet some guy? Settle down and have the American dream? Pfft...you disgust me. If it was up to me we’d just slag you right now. Buuuuut! Let’s just say I had a little family reunion. Turns out that useless old whore who “raised” us, isn’t all we had. And boy ohh boy do you wanna meet who it is!” she says.

“So. Recap. I want you dead. Dear old gramps doesn’t. What he says goes...for now. So you come up...slag one of these dregs, apologize and kiss my ass, we go back and get back to our regularly scheduled mayhem huh? The Dee Dees back in action! What do you say?”

She didn’t know it, but at that moment Delia and Terry had worked their way around to a position where they were completely behind the gang. “I’m gonna give you three seconds. I promise. If you come out now I won’t fill you with holes like swiss cheese. Pinky promise!” 

Delia looks at Terry and nods, showcasing her readiness to go on the offensive. “One...two…”

Before Deidre can get any further in her countdown Terry and Delia jump up and over the booths lining the dance floor. Two thugs raise their weapons to fire but both are disarmed by the assaulting duo, their rifles clattering to the floor after being knocked out of their hands and two uppercuts being delivered in almost perfect synchronization. Delia and Terry move on, not having a moment to lose as Deidre notices that she’s been ambushed. “Slag them!”

“But the boss said…” one of her goons begins to say before she raises her blaster and shoots him in the midsection. “Don’t give a fuck what the boss said. Slag them!” she shouts, trying to move her rifle back to get a bead on her attackers. The moment she took to wound her underling gave them enough time to take out yet another guard, working in tandem to throw him over the bar and into a wall of glass while snapping his rifle in two.

Terry looks up to see a Joker charging behind Delia and reaches forward, grabbing a table and throwing it over her head. She has enough time to duck even further to avoid the makeshift projectile which smashes into splitters while knocking out the Purple haired thug. Delia smirks before gasping in horror. “Terry watch out!” she is barely able to say before Deidre jumps up and manages to get a shot off. 

Terry falls forward in pain, having been clipped in the shoulder. Blood begins to seep from the wound and he reaches up, trying to staunch it as best as he can. He makes to move before the muzzle is pointed directly at the back of his head. “Uhh uhh uhh. No moving. That goes for you too Dee Dee” Deidre stops to look at her sister.

Delia was kneeling on the floor, scowling up at her deranged twin. “Ahh, see? I knew you were here Dee. I always know. After all, what are twin sisters for?”

“Stop calling me that”.

“What?” Deidre asks with a laugh. “Dee? Or Dee Dee? Does that bother my wittle sister?” she asks, making a baby voice. “Look at you. Dressed up for a nice night out on the town with your new boy toy?” she asks before leering down at Terry. “Hmm, don’t recognize this one. But boy is he a fighter. Where’d you pick him up Dee? Ohh it doesn’t matter. Listen, I know I said I was going to kill you and everything, but for realzies, you’re coming with me. You’ve got to meet our dear old grandpa. He sure does wanna meet you, even though you’re the black sheep of our little family” she teases.

“I said” Delia begins, now breathing heavily while making eye contract with Terry. “Stop. Calling. Me. THAT!” on her last shout she picks up a shard of discarded glass and throws it as hard as she can into Deidre’s hand, causing her to gasp in pain before dropping the rifle. This frees Terry up to sweep out his leg and knock Delia down. Deidre pounces, trying to pin down the much quicker woman before she got back up. Before she has a chance to, Deidre lashes out and catches her on the jaw, causing her head to snap back and blood to start pouring from her split lip. 

Deidre is on her feet instantly, and she pulls a grenade from her satchel. “Don’t worry sweet sister. This isn’t over!” she seethes, throwing the grenade against the opposite wall and causing yet another large explosion. People scream out in pain as the building catches on fire and begins to rapidly fill with smoke. “Catch ya when I can Delia” Deidre sneers, rushing out of the side of the building. Delia is about to make after here when a hand on her shoulder stops her. “Delia...we gotta get these people out” Terry says, looking paler by the minute.

She looks down at his wound and then at the empty entrance where her sister had escaped through. “Alright...but we need to get you help fast” she says, wanting to stop him from assisting the nearest wounded thug in escaping. “Alright Dreg...I got you” he says, making his way to the exit as Delia follows behind him, worried beyond worry at the wound he’d suffered on her behalf. ‘Dammit Deidre!’ she fumes mentally, vowing revenge on the woman.

**_An Hour Later_ **

The ambulances and police cars were all around, the activity not having dimmed from the moment they got there to now. The fire that Deidre’s grenade set off had been put out, and now only the charred smoking remains of the club’s side was left. Delia could care less about that though, and instead she focused on the man who was laying in the gurney inside of an ambulance. 

His arm was dressed, the bleeding was staunched and for all intents and purposes he was okay, but still, he would be spending the entire night in the hospital. Delia felt incredibly guilty, not only for his wounds but for forcing him into her family issues.

‘If he wasn’t with you, none of this would’ve happened’ she thinks to herself.

Terry notices the look on her face and with his non injured arm leans over to rub her shoulder. “Hey, you ok?” he asks. She smiles and puts her hand over his. “Yeah...it’s just…” she trails off.

“What?”

“Terry, you could’ve gotten killed and it would’ve been because of me” she explains. “Do you seriously think any of this is your fault?” he asks, trying to sit up but wincing as his arm hits the side of the bed. She is instantly up, pushing him back down. “Yes...I do”.

“Remember what you said to her in there?”

“What?”

“Remember when she called you Dee Dee, and you told her to stop calling you that?” he reiterates, watching as she nods. “You said that because you’re not that girl anymore. You’re not a Dee Dee. You’re Delia Dennis. You’re an employee at Wayne Enterprises and most importantly you’re your own person” he says. “Never forget that. Besides, in the morning you’re going to be in every newspaper as a hero. So relax. It’s been a pretty schway night all in all” he says trying to cover up his fear and nervousness with bravado.

Delia just looks at him and before he can say anything else she leans over him gently to kiss his lips. “Thank you” she whispers before leaning back in. Terry leans up a bit, wrapping his unbandaged arm around her shoulder before a cough interrupts them. Looking over Delia’s back he sees Barbara Gordon, a half smirk half frown on her face. Delia backs away instantly, blushing as she crosses her arms under her chest and looks away. 

“Am I interrupting something?” 

“No commish. Come right on in” Delia mutters under her breath. “Watch it kid” she says, turning a glare fully on Delia. “Just because you’re a regular civilian now doesn’t mean you can backtalk me”.

“You’re a ‘public servant’ aren’t you? Make yourself useful and go get Terry a coffee”

Gordon ignores the jibe and moves into the ambulance, taking a seat on the side. “How ya feeling kid?”

“Right as rain. Even though they’re forcing me to go to the hospital” he says. Barbara just smiles, being reminded of the old man and his stubbornness at this point in time. “Probably for the best. You two did good tonight. Saved a lot of people. However...I have to ask” she pauses, stopping to turn towards the still fuming Delia.

“Did you have anything to do with your sisters attack tonight?”

Delia sees red and before Terry can stop her she starts to glare down the grey haired woman. “I already told your officers everything they need to know. If you want to hear it again ask them. As for your question? Fuck you. That’s my answer”.

Gordon continues to glare, refusing to back down from the fiery young woman’s taunts but eventually she shakes her head and nods. “Alright. Sorry. Touched a nerve. Anyway, McGinnis. Someone is here to…”   
  


“Terry? Terry are you alright?”

“You” Barbara finishes with a smile, watching as Mary McGinnis breaks through the line of officers trying to hold her back. Terry waves weakly and smiles. “Hey mom. Yeah I’m alright. Just a gunshot”.

The redheaded woman rockets into the back of the ambulance and wraps her arms around his shoulder, tears running freely down her eyes as accidentally hurts her son. “Ohh god when I got the call...I thought...I thought…” the woman breaks down into tears even more and buries her face in her sons neck. Barbara coughs and steps out, leaving them alone as Terry tries to comfort his mother. Delia makes to leave as well before being stopped by his hand on her wrist. She looks down to see him smile. “Umm...mom. I wanna introduce you to someone” he says tepidly, watching as Mary raises her head and wipes her eyes, turning her head and looking at the blonde haired woman as if she had only just noticed her presence.

“Mom, this is Delia Dennis. My girlfriend. She also saved my life, and many other people’s tonight” he says, causing her to blush. 

“I didn…”

Delia is wrapped up in a hug by the woman, cutting off any further words. “Thank you” Mary whispers in her ear, causing Delia to feel very strange. Gently she reaches up and hugs the woman back. “Terry saved my life too” she says meekly, not sure of how to respond to this outpouring of non Nana Harley inflicted affection. Slowly Mary releases her and smiles, gently patting her arms. “It’s awful that we’re meeting this way” she says with a chuckle, putting out her hand. “I’m Mary McGinnis. Terry’s mother. He’s told me so much about you Delia” she says.

Delia just smiles and reaches out, shaking the woman’s hand gently. “Has he?” she asks, casting a critical eye over at her boyfriend.

“Ohh yes. You’re all he can seem to talk about when he’s home”.

“Alright mom, alright”.

“No, no...go on Mrs. McGinnis. Please. What does Terry have to say about me?” she asks, a smirk coming to the woman’s face as she looks towards her son. “Well, he was right when he said you were a knockout”.

“Mom…” he groans, just as the paramedic closed the rear door and hopped in, the vehicle starting and lifting slightly into the air on its trek towards Gotham General Hospital.

**_Gotham Subways_ **

“Scab...are you sure we should be…”

“Relax and shut the fuck up Coe”.

The smaller man nods, listening to his boss and looking away, focusing on the far off noises he’d heard coming from the active lines to their left and right. The silence continues on, settling over the group like a cloak for a few moments until the man attempts to speak up again. This time, Scab turns around and grasps him by the throat, lifting him off of the ground. “What the hell did I say?”

“Woah, easy Scab!” a new recruit, Tom, asks. “Just..just put him down?”

Scab looks at the small group he’d assembled and drops Coe to the ground, allowing him to lay in the dirt of the subway tunnel floor. Before anyone can say anything more on the subject, a voice booms out from the darkness. “You should have a good reason for being here”.

The group becomes stiff, refusing to move as they tremble in fear at the sounds that were now making their way to them through the dark. It sounded like chittering and squeaks, like….bats. Scab is undeterred, and gazes into the darkness. The man was just as imposing without the war paint indicative of the Jokerz, though they doubted it much impressed whatever had just spoken to them.

“Yeah. It’s called the Joker”.

A vicious peel of screeching emanates from outside of their line of sight, but movement could only just start to be discerned. “It isn’t wise to say that name here” the low growling voice warns.

“Yeah. Kind of figured you’d hate him. After all, that newspaper said he did a number on you. Killed your wife right?”

The growls grow in intensity and shorten in distance, making Coe and the rest step back in fear, ready to retreat from the subway completely. “Scab…” Coe begins warningly, taking a step back. The man, turns his head over his shoulder and glares, leaving the group unsure of who they feared more.    
  


He doesn’t say anything and simply turns back to the darkness. “We hate him too you know? He’s back, and he really slagged things up for us”.

“The Joker is deaddddd….” the voice whispers, though it carried a note of uncertainty. 

“Yeah. Close but no cigar. He’s back somehow. I don’t know why or even how but he is. The real McCoy. Now, let’s get down to it. You probably want to kill him, but let’s face it doc, you’re old and decrepit. Done. Not to mention the fact you’ve been down here for so long that you don’t even know Gotham anymore. Shits changed”.

The voice says nothing, giving the man his cue to continue on. “So, way I see it? You need us. And we want what you’ve got”.

“And what is it you think I have to give you?”

A smirk twists Scab’s face and he begins to chuckle before controlling himself and looking back up. “Power” he says simply, the one word having an effect on everybody present. “Ohhh power does sound good” Zoey, one of the former Jokerz says, turning to the others who nod or voice their agreement. 

The voice doesn’t respond, but a low shuffling can be heard as a large body begins to move forward, it’s shadowy outline becoming clearer and clearer as it moved closer to the group. Suddenly, a face, flaring nostrils and long fangs emerges from the darkness, scowling at the gang with it’s dark all seeing eyes. The group recoils in horror as they lay their eyes upon the man formerly known as Kirk Langstrom. He snarls, the whiskers, grey and long, shaking in the wind as he rushes forward at Scab, causing the others to fall back onto the wall behind them in fear.

Scab for his part, doesn’t even move, and the Manbat stops mere inches away from his face. “Hmm...you aren’t afraid. Interesting. Tell me, do you really want to look like this?” 

To accentuate his point he splays out his arms, showcasing the leathery wings that protruded out from under his arms. “Not exactly like you. I mean, you’re pretty old and weak right now. But yeah, generally? Like you in your prime”.

Langstrom snarls, turning back into the darkness. “I lost everything to this curse. Francine, my children. Everything. I didn’t do any of this for power. Why would you want to willingly become this...this...creature?” he asks, confusion evident in his voice. 

“In case you don’t know, life ain’t all that great up there man” Scab begins. “We get pushed around all our lives and for what? So people like Powers and Wayne can be rich? So Gordon can keep collecting her salary? Fuck no. We decided to do something about it, and we did. We got together and really made a mess of things. Went against the status quo. Then? This wackjob from the past, who’s time is well and truly fucking done, steps back in and takes it from us. So yeah, gonna go out on a limb and say that we’re done being stepped on, and if being just some dregs at the bottom of the food chain is all we got to look forward to, I say we get out of the human race before it turns into even more of a rat race than it already is”.

The whole group is stunned by Scab’s speech, most of all his gang. They all begin whispering amongst themselves. “Woah” Zoey begins. “I didn’t agree to be no bat” she says, placing her hand son her hips and glaring at Scab. 

He turns and glares right back. “Then go and let the Joker catch ya. You know what will happen to you then. I really don’t give a shit if any of you get in on this. Way I see it it’ll just be more food for me when I’m at the top of the food chain”.

Kirk Langstrom was following the proceedings with rapt attention and coughs to signal his desire to speak. “Hmm, I see in you an alpha. Like I once was. Perhaps...arrangements can be made” he begins drawing a smirk from Scab. He stops him, halting his enthusiasm by holding up one long digit. “But, a deal will have to be made”.

“Yeah yeah, what do you want you old bat?” he asks before snickering to himself. Langstrom snarls at the insult but holds back his anger. “Jokkkkeerrrr” he hisses out.

“Yeah, what about him?”

“I want his head. That’s all I want. His head. You can have Gotham”.

“Deal”.

“Good, now follow me”. The creature begins to limp back into the darkness, gesturing for the group to follow. Scab is the first and so far the only. He looks back and smirks. “When I become like him, anyone who didn’t follow me is first on the list. Got that dregs? Live as kings…” he smirks. “Or die as rats”.

Without another word he moves off into the stygian darkness, leaving his compatriots behind him. Slowly, they follow after him, Zoey being the first to give into her fear of the man’s words trodding after him. The others follow until only Coe remains, staring into the darkness and wondering how the hell he’d gotten there. 

Silence is his only answer, and he abandons himself to it, following his leader once again across the edge of the unknown.

**_Gotham General_ **

“Hey, cut it out!”

“Pfft, well sorry McGinnis, just trying to fix your pillow”

She turns away and grumpily puts her arms under her chest, pointedly ignoring him. Terry smiles and rolls his eyes, reaching out with his good unbandaged arm to take her hand. “Hey, I’m sorry. Just in a bad mood I guess” he says before gently rubbing up and down her digits with his own. Delia smiles and looks over, shrugging while returning the attention. “Hey, I’d be too if I got shot, but let your girlfriend dote on you a little bit alright. It’ll make me feel better”.

Terry smiles teasingly up at her. 

“So, does that mean I can ask you to get me something?”

Delia groans, absolutely loathing having to fetch anything, but she quickly schools her face and smiles. “Alright Mr. Invalid. What do you need?” 

“You” he retorts, pushing himself off the bed gently to capture the surprised blonde’s lips. She lets out an “eep” of surprise but she’s able to think on her feet. She returns the kiss evenly, taking the opportunity to push him back onto the bed while continuing to caress his lips with hers. She pulls away, only for a second, to smile at him. “If you want me tell me, and I’ll come down to you McGinnis. No use in opening up those stitches just to turn my insides to goo”.

“Ahh so I guess I do have an effect on you huh?”

“Tell anyone and I’ll deny it and make sure they never find your body” she says before leaning back in. “Ahh hmm” a voice from the doorway distracts them, causing Delia to shoot up and blush, watching as Mary walks back into the room. She is smiling coyly but says nothing. “I just talked to Max. He was worried...in...typical Max fashion” she says with a smirk. 

“Ahh, so he wanted to know if he could have my stuff?”

“Terry! No…” Mary laughs, sitting down in a chair. “No. He wanted to make sure you were okay. He said it was...and I quote, “pretty schway” that you took down that gang. He thinks you’re like Batman now”.

The words hit a little too close to home and Terry awkwardly smiles, having gotten used to hiding his alter ego. “Yeah well...tell the twip I’ll see him soon. Batman huh?”

“Pfft, some use he is” Delia says angrily. “Right when we needed him, he doesn’t show. Some hero” she spits, obviously still upset about Terry having been wounded. “Hey, I’m sure wherever he was it was equally as important” Terry says, trying to plainly defend his costumed self.

It dawns on him instantly and he turns to his mother. “What about Mr..”

“Already here Terry”

The old man enters the room on his cane, another familiar face in tow. “Nana!” Delia says with a smile, getting up to hug the woman. Harleen hugs her even more tightly, the tears flowing freely down her face. “I’m so glad yer okay muffin!” she says, pushing the girl back by her shoulders to study her. “I was so worried! I...I didn’t know what ta do! I’m just...just so glad you’re safe” she says with a smile, rubbing her granddaughter’s cheek before smiling over at Terry. “Both of ya” she adds before shuffling over to the bed.

“How ya feelin’ handsome?”

“Ohh just fine Mrs. H. Just fine”.

“Pfft...you’re a bad liar Terry, but that’s a good thing”.

Wayne moves forward and takes a seat, nodding over at his protege. “I’m glad to see that you’re okay” he begins tepidly, not being good at all when it came to comfort and care. Terry just waves a wand, dismissing the man’s need to say something with a sign that he already understood. “Hey it’s alright. Just another day in Gotham” he says.

Bruce smiles, the tiniest of smiles, but still he smiles.

‘If anyone can understand that...it’s me’ he thinks to himself. 

“Well...doc says I’ll be out in the morning, and I’ll be back to work as well” Terry says, drawing glares from the three women. “No you won’t be McGinnis!” “Terry, you’ve been shot!” “Sorry handsome, don’t care what the doctor said. No way!”

He holds his hand up, trying to get a word in edgewise. “Hey, hey! Hey!” he practically shouts, stopping the bickering. “Look, it isn’t a serious wound. Doc had it all patched up and it should hold. I gotta get back to work. Wayne Enterprises is having a big audit coming up and I need everything prepared”.

“Terry’s right I’m afraid” Bruce interjects.    
  


“We’d be quite lost without his work. At this point in time, we need to focus on what’s most important” he says, directing a look at Terry that communicates the fact that this conversation was about more than the company. Terry nods, knowing that he’d fight tooth and nail to get back into the suit.

‘Something big is happening’

“Well...I’ll help as much as I can in the officer” Delia says, looking at Terry with steel in her eyes. “And there is no more “stay outside and answer the phone Delia”. I mean real help. As in you’re not lifting any boxes. You sit at your desk and tell me what you need. Besides, you’re best at doing nothing anyway” she teases, rubbing her fingers through his hair. 

Harleen smiles at how she attempts to disguise her affection under a veneer of an insult. ‘Heh, she must really like him!’.

“But...but…” Mary sputters, trying to find an ally in the room. Harleen just shrugs, knowing how headstrong her granddaughter was and guessing at the inner strength hidden behind the man who’d saved her life that night. 

“I think they know what they’re doing Mary...may I call ya Mary? Ohh, we haven’t been introduced. I’m Harleen Dennis. I came up with Bruce. We saw each other in the lobby and came up together”. She holds out her hand for the woman to shake, something she nervously does. Bruce watches Harleen like a hawk, something in his eyes prying deeper.

‘No. No. She died. Years ago. Stop it’

“Well, it’s a pleasure to…”

They are interrupted by the nurse entering, her hand pointing to her wrist watch. “I’m sorry but visiting times are over. I’m afraid I have to ask all of you to leave”.

Bruce is the first to stand, balancing on his cane. “Be well Terry. And on behalf of Gotham, thank you for your heroism tonight. You as well Mrs. Dennis” he says with a lighter smile aimed at the young woman. “Th..thank you Mr. Wayne” she says, a little shocked at having received any compliments from the man. With a nod he exits the room, obviously heading back to his home.

Mary is the next one to leave, kissing Terry’s forehead. “Sweetie, I have to go. Max is home alone and I really don’t want him inviting all his friends ove…”. 

“It’s fine mom. Really. I’m fine” he says. 

The woman looks down on him unsure of if she should take his word on that or not before she finally nods and sighs. “Alright Terry. Alright. I love you sweetie. I’ll be here in the morning to sign you out” she says before saying her goodbyes to Harleen and Delia, promising to invite them over for dinner sometime.

Harleen just smiles at the two, knowing that Delia had no intention of leaving already. “Alright kid. I likes ya. I likes ya alot. Yer a hero and ya saved my granddaughter’s behind” she says, leaning down to place a kiss on his cheek. “Dashing and cavalier. Just don’t be stupid with it alright? No risk taking anymore got it?” she asks.

“Yes ma’am” he says. 

  
“Alright. Good boy. Goodnight muffin” she says, turning towards Delia and hugging her close. “No hanky panky in the hospital” she whispers in her ear. “Nannnnna!” she whines, blushing as Terry smiles over at her.

“I loves ya. I loves ya a whole lot. I’m letting the reins loose on your curfew. Just for tonight” she says. “But tomorrow, if you want anymore of your Terry time, he has to come to you. No if ands or buts” she says, shuffling towards the door, checking both ways to make sure no nurse was watching. She winks, turning out the light and closing the door.

The two of them are left in the ambient glow of the monitoring stations. Delia smiles at Terry and moves over towards the chair. “Hey, what are you doing?” he asks in a whisper. 

“I’m getting ready to go to bed McGinnis. What does it look like?”

“That chair is super uncomfortable”.

“Yeah, it’s a hospital chair. What’s your point?”

“My point is just lay on this side of the bed where you’re not going to jab my bad shoulder” he says, shuffling over and opening up a space. Her eyes widen and she blushes. “Already asking me to hop into bed with you you perv?”   
  


“Ha ha. Not like that. Just don’t want you tossing and turning all not. Besides, it’s pretty comfy. Not like the ones they had in Wayne’s or Mrs. H’s time”.

She thinks it over, indeed seeing the open space as quite inviting. Eventually she gives up and moves into the bed, slowly scotting into Terry. “It’ll be easier to hide you this way too” he explains further, his arm wrapping around her and pulling her into his side. She lays her head on his good shoulder and smirks up at him. “Don’t get any ideas McGinnis” she warns again.

“Pfft, you’re the one getting ideas” he retorts.

She blushes and smiles, enjoying how she could rub her hand up and down his bare and toned chest. “Maybe a few, but we gotta be together for a little while before I utterly rock your world Terry”.

“How do you know it’s not the other way around?”

“Believe me. I know” she leans in, whispering against his skin and kissing along his jawline. “Get some sleep...hero” she adds, cuddling back into him. “You too hero. Heh. A regular crime fighting duo huh?” 

She smirks and nods. 

  
“Feels good to be the good guy. Especially if this is the reward”.


End file.
